Everything
by jc52185
Summary: Sequel to Love and Memories - Third story in the Amnesia Trilogy. I have waited a long time for him to come to this realization. I have long imagined what it would be like when he finally did, but I find myself being wrong. It is better than what I imagined - so much better.
1. Home

**Just a quick note to any new readers - ****This is the third story in a trilogy. The first is Amnesia and the second is Love and Memories. Things may be a tad confusing if you do not read those first.**

_Hold on, to me as we go_

_As we roll down this unfamiliar road_

_And although this wave (wave) is stringing us along_

_Just know you're not alone_

_Cause I'm gonna make this place your home_

_Settle down, it'll all be clear_

_Don't pay no mind to the demons_

_They fill you with fear_

_The trouble it might drag you down_

_You get lost, you can always be found_

_Just know you're not alone_

_Cause I'm gonna make this place your home – Phillip Phillips_

**Sookie POV**

No one slept at all last night, though it's true that I would be the only one looking for sleep at night anyway. I never found it last night and I also haven't found sleep like my vampires have when the sun rose. I can't remember being jealous of a vampire quality before but this was one thing I could have used.

Because being lost in my thoughts about who this new threat could possibly be and what it could mean is no fun at all. Especially considering it is most likely someone who I don't even know about.

So even with the sun up for the last few hours I am still up with it, sleep still not finding me. So without sleep, I am cleaning to try and keep my attention so they don't venture too far into my thoughts again. Or I should say I am trying to clean. Vampires are not really dirty creatures and I have never been too messy myself. So that took all of 30 minutes of my attention.

That left me plenty of time to do something that I have been avoiding doing all morning – quitting my job. It's not something I want to do but it's not exactly fair to Sam. I was supposed to start up again tomorrow but with yet another unknown threat it just wouldn't be safe for me or for anyone else at Merlotte's and Sam shouldn't feel like he has to hold a spot for me.

I am pleasantly surprised by how well the conversation went. In the past, I doubt a conversation in which I told Sam I would be quitting Merlotte's and working with vampires, Eric specifically, would go well. In fact, I would have probably lost a good friend. But Sam had seen just how much Eric has helped me and knows my life would be drastically different if he had decided not to care when I was in that trunk or when the Queen wanted me in New Orleans.

Lord knows it would have been easier for him not to care in some aspects. But my vampire rarely takes the easy way out and I could not be more grateful for that.

Did you sleep at all," a voice calls out, lifting me from my thoughts. I shake my head and that earns me a sigh. "That is not going to help anything," Eric says while sitting next to me on the couch. I adjust myself so I can lean on him, laying my head on his shoulder. He wraps an arm around me. "It's not for lack of trying," I tell him.

That earns me a little laugh as he brings up a hand and starts running it through my hair. "Would you like to stay here tonight instead of coming into Fangtasia with me? Pam could stay with you."

Yeah and she wouldn't let me forget it. She would not be happy staying home tonight and not being with Eric as he tries to figure out who Threadgill could have been working for. And neither would I. I tell Eric that adding, "I may put that couch in your office to good use though." The glint he gets in his eyes as he looks down at me tells me that we are not exactly on the same page in just how the couch will be used.

"To sleep," I tell him letting out a yawn. "Get your mind out of the gutter."

"Impossible," Pam says appearing in the doorway to the living room. She doesn't have to tell me that. Instead of a retort, Eric simply says that she should head to the bar and we will meet her there in about an hour.

"There is something I would like to talk to you about," Eric tells me. I nod against his shoulder, closing my eyes and feeling relaxed for the first time today with him next to me. "I would like it if you would consider moving in here," Eric tells me softly. I can feel the excitement of his words building up in me. It's dashed however, as he continues, "It would be safer for you."

Thinking that is the only reason that he is asking me, I nod weakly against his shoulder. He is having none of that however, as he must realize something is suddenly bothering me. He softly says my name. I shake my head, sitting up and tell him that I'll move in. "I've been living here anyway."

He turns us both so we are facing each other on the couch. "What is wrong," he asks me stroking my cheek. And I want nothing more than to slap on my fake 'Crazy Sookie' smile and tell him nothing. But it will accomplish exactly that if I do and I know first hand how detrimental it can be if things just get buried.

Because there truly is not much that will actually stay buried.

Also, I can't really ask for honesty from Eric if I am not willing to do the same, no matter how painful the consequences could be. The consequences of not talking these things through can often be worse in the long run. So I swallow down my fear and ask, "Is my safety the only reason you want me to move in here?"

I can see the understanding appear on his face. It's almost as quick as I hear him say, "No," as he takes my face in my hands and gives me a gentle kiss. "No," he says again as he pulls back. He searches my face, like he is looking for an answer to some question he didn't ask. "That is what is worrying you," he says, his voice barely a whisper.

I nod and swallow again knowing that it's now my time to talk. "I love my Gran's house Eric. I've always loved it and am so grateful about everything you did to update it. But when I think of that house, of me being alone in that house, it doesn't really feel like home to me anymore," I tell him, looking into his eyes. "Being here with you, or being at Fangtasia with you, just being anywhere with you – that's what feels like home to me. I am home whenever I am with you." I hesitate before adding, "You have become part of my family in the last few month, Eric. You, Pam, and Thalia. With you is where I feel comfortable. With you is where I feel safe. With you is where I want to be," I finish laying it all on the line.

**Eric POV**

I stare at Sookie in awe that her words match my feelings. I know what I have been feeling but I have had no idea that she has been feeling the same as me. I have been hopeful and her honest declarations of love would suggest it, but hearing her admit it, hearing her say the words, wipes out any of the doubt that I had. Doubt that I was secretly ashamed was there in the first place.

Because after centuries, I have finally started to understand why that doubt was there in the first place.

But there is still doubt on her face after she finishes speaking and that is something that I cannot have. "So does this mean family dinners with Jason," I ask trying to do anything to wipe the lost look off of her face before we have this conversation.

My tactic works, as a smile replaces her frown and she asks, "Could you imagine a family dinner with Jason, Pam, and Thalia?" I find myself unable to stop the smile that crosses my face upon imagining what hijinks my child and Sookie's brother could cause. And I am sure Thalia would be the instigator for most of them.

It is the quiet ones you have to watch.

"I want nothing more than that, Sookie," I tell her as I look to her face for signs that she believes me. "You speak of family but you have given me one." She opens her mouth and I know she is going to say something about Pam so I quickly kiss her and continue. "You have given me the understanding of what a family is centuries after I have forgotten, since I have had it beaten out of me," I add in my first spoken acknowledgement of what my maker has done to me. "You have made me understand what I have with Pam. You have shown me that my children are not the only people I have left to trust in this world. I would do anything to have you here with me always."

"So why haven't you asked me," she asks. But she is not doing so in an accusatory way. She sounds genuinely curious to why I have not asked her before now even though it is one of the things that I have wanted most.

"You are a very independent human, Sookie," I tell her. "It is one of the things I admire most about you and it is one of the things that I can find frustrating," I add with a smirk. "I was not sure if you were ready, if you would be willing to give up some of that independence by moving in with me. That is the only reason I have not suggested you moving in here. Believe me, waking up with you every night is what I want."

"So don't you think this is something we should have discussed instead of you just thinking I wasn't ready."

I shake my head and tell her, "It was something that I would have brought up with you." I get a bit nervous when I see the look on her face but I continue saying, "I would have brought it up if I was sure it was something that you wanted."

Her face softens at that. "So I didn't bring it up because I thought if you were ready you would, and you didn't bring it up because you were afraid that I wasn't ready."

I cannot help but smirk at her appraisal. "We have not done the best at communicating with this issue have we," I ask her.

She shakes her head. "It's not like we haven't spoke. We have. We just need to remember to talk about the important stuff and if something is bothering us." She takes me in her arms and tells me, "We need to, Eric. We've seen what not talking and miscommunications can do." Her voice drops to a whisper as she adds, "I don't want you to think that this is not where I want to be ever again." I know she is thinking about the night I thought she was walking away from me for good. That is something that can never happen again.

This is a battle for me, more so than I would like to admit. For centuries my maker taught me, well beat into me really, that our emotions are something that we should bury deep down, almost forgetting we have them and definitely not feeling them. In fact, I was trained to believe that there were certain emotions that as a vampire I cannot feel at all.

But this little human is teaching me that all Appius' training is wrong. Not only is what he taught me wrong, but his methods of 'teaching' are wrong too. And more important is the fact that I believe her. I want nothing more to show her just how much I believe her and I am sure I know just what will convince her but that is still something that I am working through.

But working through is a vast improvement than flat out denial.

I tell her that I will continue to work in communication. "I am sorry," I tell her but she shakes her head.

"There is nothing to be sorry for. We can't expect perfection, Eric. Neither of us is used to talking things through with someone. I never brought it up either. It will get better but we just have to remember to talk to each other. We can deal with things as long as we remember that."

"So we talk," I say.

"We talk," she adds before giving me what she intended to be a swift kiss. I hold her close though and she quickly opens her mouth to allow my searching tongue in. She breaks away to breathe and starts kissing her way down my neck. "I think there is another part of you that wishes to communicate," Sookie says as I move my hips to meet hers. When she reaches my shirt, she quickly starts to unbutton it placing hot, open mouth kisses over each inch of flesh she reveals.

I roll her under me as my hand starts a journey up her side. It is about to creep under her bra when my phone goes off. I let out a groan guessing who this will be. Sookie reaches into my pocket, as her hands are closer to the troublesome phone. She groans after seeing who the message is from, which tells me my thought was correct. "Your child wishes that we stop fornicating for two seconds and come to the club," she says with another groan before handing me the phone.

Leave it to Pam. "Sookie about those family dinners, how would you feel if Pam was not there?"

She just laughs and shakes her head before working herself out from under me. Now it is my turn to groan but she says, "We will hear less from her if we just leave now. Besides," she adds with a smirk of her own on her face. "There is always later."

Pam will be sleeping at her house tonight. Or Thalia's. Or in the ground at this point. All I know is that with the look on Sookie's face, she will not be sleeping here.

As we get to Fangtasia, I remember that tonight is my night to be out amongst the humans. I would rather be dealing with paperwork. With a silver pen. The regulars are okay but it is the tourists who want to feed into every incorrect vampire stereotype that drives me insane. Of course, that makes Pam laugh and Sookie is getting bad at hiding her laughter at my distress.

I do not miss the glint in her eye either when I tell her what I will be doing tonight. Thalia gets an excited look in her eye too, which Sookie sees and quickly tells her she will not be her guinea pig tonight. Thalia is not the only one grumbling at that statement.

So I begrudgingly take my seat on my throne after giving Sookie a kiss. Fortunately, it is not that crowded yet. The tourist types usually do not come until later anyway. Hopefully, I can take my leave to my office before most of them get here.

After about an hour, someone catches my attention. To say that I am shocked when I see Desmond Cataliades walk into my bar would be an understatement. Being a Sheriff, I have had to work with him in the past but when it is on behalf of Sophie-Anne, he always calls to make an appointment and it is never on a night where the club is open. The fact that it is a busy night and I have no warning of his visit is probably not a good sign.

Once he gets to where I am seated on this ostentatious throne Pam insisted on getting, he pauses simply staring at me. I have worked with the little demon lawyer enough to know that he is trying to gauge my mood, which was fine until he walked into the bar. "The Queen did not inform me of your visit tonight," I say when he stays quiet. If he had any doubt of my mood, he would not anymore.

"I am not here on behalf of the Queen," he tells me keeping his voice quiet, obviously not wanting to be overheard. I make a motion with my hand for him to continue. "This is something you would not want overheard," he says his gaze quickly darting over to where Sookie is talking with Pam. With his words at Rhodes, I had been worried that would not be the last time he brought Sookie's Fae heritage.

I just never expected him to bring it up in a vampire club that is currently filled with vampires, but I imagine that is just why he did it. I could refuse and cause a scene but there would be questions, some not easy to answer. It would be safer to just hear him out, safer for Sookie at least. I have never had a problem with the demon. In fact, I have gotten along with him well. I am hoping that whatever he has to say tonight will not be changing that.

I get up and start to make my way to my office motioning him to follow me but stop when I hear him say, "It might be best if we do not have this conversation alone."

It is his sly way of telling me he wants Sookie in the room. I look back expecting to see a devious look on his face, and ready to hit it right off. But I am surprised when I turn and do not see it. In fact, I would dare to say the look currently on his face is almost one of sympathy. "You think that is for the best," I ask him quietly.

The look on his face echoes his words when he says, "No. But I do think it is something that she needs to hear." He hesitates before adding, "I wish her no harm." Something on his face tells me that I can trust that statement. I quickly weigh the pros and cons and as much as I would rather it not be true, having Sookie in the room would be better. So I get Pam's attention from across the bar and Sookie is soon by my side as we lead Cataliades back to my office.

When we get to my office Cataliades gives us a second to get settled on the couch before looking at Sookie and again saying, "Your family still wants to meet you."

She stiffens next to me before repeating what she had said the first time Cataliades brought this up, that her family is here and can see her whenever they want. The lawyer looks to me and I shrug my shoulders. It is how she feels and I for one agree with her. He is starting to look a little desperate though so I say, "I have not known you to do his bidding." I know that he will understand who the 'he' is I am discussing and hopefully that will get me a bit more information.

Cataliades takes a few paces back and forth before sitting down in a chair and looking to Sookie. "I was your grandfather's friend."

"Fintan," I say before Sookie could say anything more. She, and I too, may not like what the lawyer has to say but that does not mean should not hear it.

Cataliades nods and still looking at says, "You don't remember but the summit was not our first time meeting."

"I think you're the one that isn't remembering things clearly," Sookie tells him.

We are both a little shocked when he lets out a little laugh before telling Sookie, "You really are just like your grandmother."

At his words, I immediately have Sookie's hand in mine knowing that her grandmother is still a sensitive topic for her. Sookie loved the woman dearly and I know still grieves for her loss. That mixed with the knowledge that her grandmother had secrets she never shared with her is still difficult.

"You knew my Gran," Sookie says, her tone much more gentle than it just was with the semi-demon.

"I did have the honor," Cataliades says. And right then I can feel the shift in Sookie. She is still apprehensive, which is something that I am happy about, as trust given too easy is not a good thing, but she relaxes a bit and with the lighter tone I gather that she will hear what he has to say. Something that I am not sure she would have done five minutes ago.

"Fintan brought me to see her soon after he got together with her. He loved her very much," he adds. "He wanted nothing more than to make sure his descendants were safe, even if that meant he couldn't have a place in your life."

"But now he wishes to meet me," Sookie asks.

Cataliades looks regretful and I put my arm around Sookie's shoulder in preparation for what I believe is coming. I am proven true as the lawyer says, "I am sorry to say that Fintan has gone to the Summerlands."

"That's not some fairy vacation spot is it," Sookie asks.

"No," I tell her.

"Fintan has passed on," Cataliades adds. "And with him, every protection that he had put into place for you weakened if not fallen completely, my dear." This causes both of us to look to him.

"Your grandfather never wanted you to be a part of the Fae world. It would be too dangerous for many different reasons."

Sookie takes a deep breath before saying, "So if Fintan is not the one who wants to meet me, who is?"

"Niall," I say before the demon could say anything. Knowing what I do about the lawyer, the Prince of the Fae would be the only fairy he would work for now that Fintan is dead.

"Fintan's father? What does he want with me," Sookie asks.

Cataliades shakes his head and says, "He wishes to meet you. Fintan had kept him from you and the rest of his family here before his death."

Sookie seems to be taking it in as I am as well. I know things have not been going very well in the Fae world lately. Rumors say they are on the brink of war. This is a war that I do not want Sookie involved in but I cannot deny that I may need more information to assure that she is kept out of it.

"And if I don't wish to meet this Niall now," Sookie asks.

Cataliades voice sounds ominous as he says sadly, "The Prince of the Fae is not someone who likes being told no."

And hearing his tone, as he says that is not something that I like to hear.

**Hello dear readers. Thanks so much for coming on this leg of their journey with me. I hope very much that you will enjoy it. In this chapter we get a bit more of what Sookie and Eric will have to be dealing with in this part and as we also saw, communication will be key for them to get through everything. It's just something that they have to remember to do.**

**I survived week one of teen camp! Only four more to go before it's over and back to day camp I go. The trips are great but as you can imagine, the bus rides can get a bit hairy. That being said, I am hoping to update next weekend as usually but have been plagued with headaches on and off so the next chapter may be a bit delayed depending on how they go this week. As you can guess, the bus rides aren't helping with the headaches lol.**

**Jackie69 – Thanks so much for the review. I am so happy you have enjoyed the story so far. Yes TB has been a bit disappointing so far this season. Hopefully it will improve but it is really not something I am holding my breath for unfortunately.**


	2. Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For

_I have kissed honey lips_

_Felt the healing in her fingertips_

_It burned like fire_

_This burning desire_

_I have spoke with the tongue of angels_

_I have held the hand of a devil_

_It was warm in the night_

_I was cold as a stone_

_But I still haven't found what I'm looking for – U2_

**Sookie POV**

There are currently many things going on in my life that I do not like. I don't like that once again it seems like we are being surrounded by threats from many angles. I don't like that I again am being reminded of a huge secret my grandmother didn't trust me with. I don't like that this supposed relative that I have never met before seems pretty desperate to see me. And I know by the growl that Eric lets out I am not the only one that doesn't like the words that just came out of the lawyer's mouth.

"That sounds like a threat," I say when Eric stays quiet, or at least doesn't say actual words in response. I have no other words I can use to describe the statement that was just said by the lawyer.

"It's not meant as one, either from me or from your great-grandfather. It's simply a declaration of a fact."

And knowing this about my great grandfather is not really making me feel excited to meet him however, I would be lying if I said that I am not curious about this fairy. He seems really eager to see me but I have a hard time understanding why he is so insistent now when it seems that he has never bothered in the past.

"He's had over two decades to see me if he really wanted to. He has never tried. He can surely wait a little longer."

Cataliades looks away, sighs, and mutters, "If it were only that simple." He turns back to me and says, "Niall has been curious about his son's human family since he learned of your existence. He has wanted to meet you for a very long time. It was Fintan that kept him way."

"Fintan felt the need to protect me from him," I ask. I may have never met my biological grandfather but if he felt the need to protect me from his own father, then this is definitely someone that I am a bit hesitant to meet.

But Cataliades shakes his head. "It wasn't simply Niall he was trying to protect you from. It was his world that he was trying to keep you from." He looks from me to Eric and asks him, "Are you aware of the turmoil going on in the Fae world?"

Eric nods. "I have heard a little. There are two main factions at odds from what I heard. One is vehemently against…" But Eric trails off before looking back to me.

Which is not at all worrying to me. Nope, not at all.

"What's going on," I ask, looking back and forth between the both of them, hoping at least one of them will give me an answer. If I am being honest with myself though, there is one of them that I want to hear it from more. And he doesn't disappoint me.

"I do not know everything," Eric starts off telling me, taking my hands in his. "But Niall is the Prince of the Sky Fae. He is the ruling Prince. As with any ruler, there is going to be opposition."

He's right. Having forces oppose leaders is nothing new. "That doesn't sound too concerning," I say confused at the worry I see on his face.

"The Fae that are against Niall, they do not want the Fae realm open to any other. They wish to keep the Fae separate from the other races. These fairies do not think that mixing with any other race, especially humans should be happening. "

He pauses to allow my brain time to catch up, knowing by now that it is sometimes what I need. I followed him along on this one pretty well though. There are fairies that don't think their kind should mix with humans.

And I would be a living example of a fairy mixing with a human.

Eric continues to explain to me that pure fairies are having fertility issues. Female fairies are finding it nearly impossible to get pregnant. There are those that believe that diluting the bloodlines by having children with other races is the cause for this.

I have been singled out for as long as I can remember for my telepathy. Now I find out that I am a big no-no in another race too.

Cataliades continues where Eric left off. Niall had already had a relationship with a human that produced Fintan. So Fintan was already a part fairy, which really makes me part of a part fairy. "One eight fairy to be precise," Cataliades says.

Oh yes, leave it to the lawyer to be precise.

I turn to Eric knowing that I don't know too much about vampire politics and even less about fairy politics. I also am not too sure about how the two races get along. Although if I had to hazard a guess, it would be not too well given how most vampires seem to be eager to live on a fairy diet.

"Do you know Niall," I ask him. He nods and explains to me that he has met my great grandfather and has done business with him on occasion. It's weird that Eric knows more about a long lost relative of mine than I do. There are so many things I want to ask him about Niall but I hesitate with Cataliades right here. There will be time for questions later. Though there is one question that keeps floating around in my head and I am hoping that Eric can see it in my eyes.

He again doesn't let me down, somehow knowing that if I were to meet Niall, I would not want to do so alone. Lifting my hand to his mouth and pressing a kiss to it he whispers, "You never have to worry about being alone." He gets a smile for his troubles.

There is no easy answer here. Even ignoring the possible threat that those acting against my great grandfather could be, it still is not an easy decision. Meeting Niall can certainly start to open another can of worms that I would like to stay firmly locked and buried in cement if at all possible. But not seeing him could do the same thing, especially if he doesn't like not getting his way. At least if we meet with him, we can figure out what it is he wants.

Hopefully.

I sigh not really wanting to see Niall but understanding that it will be better in the short and long term if I do. I look back to Cataliades and say, "Eric and I will meet with him."

I add yet another item to my list of things I am not happy with when the lawyer shakes his head and tells me that Niall requested to see me and probably would not respond well to the presence of a vampire.

"Well, that's just too bad," I bite out to Cataliades before remembering it's not really his fault. "He wants to waltz his way into my life he will do it on my conditions."

To that, the demon lawyer lets out a smile. "You my dear, have spunk. I think I am going to like you."

Well, I suppose if he thinks I will be around long enough for him to like me that may be a good thing.

"I won't take up any more of your time tonight," Cataliades says getting up from his seat. "I will tell Niall of your condition and I would imagine you will hear from him."

"Soon," I ask, worrying about what else we are dealing with. But the lawyer simply shrugs his shoulders and explains that with the way time is different in the Fae realm it could be days or weeks.

Fabulous.

Eric walks him out while I stay in his office. I look forlornly at his couch thinking of my earlier thoughts of maybe getting some sleep but I know I will not be doing that now. Not with everything I have to think about.

There is a part of me that wishes that this will be some sort of family reunion. I have such little family left and having more around could be fun. Meeting Niall could open up the door to other long, lost family members. Meeting him could be great. And I am really, really hoping that it is.

But it could also be bad. Really, really bad. And that's what worries me.

It's been one bad thing after another lately and this could be just another one to add to the list. I hate that I am thinking like this but if the last few months have taught me anything, it's to be cautious. Be sure to enjoy life because you never know what's going to happen, but be cautious and think through you're actions especially with who you hold dear.

Because you never know when or how they will be taken away from you.

**Eric POV**

Cataliades is quiet as I lead him through the back entrance knowing he would appreciate not exiting through the masses. I am not exactly happy with what he came and told us here tonight but the blame cannot be placed with him. He is merely the messenger and a surprising one at that, even after learning his connection to Fintan. I say so to the lawyer.

When I do, his years seem to show on his face. "Fintan wanted nothing more than to protect his human family, the family that he loved so dearly that he gave them up for their own safety. As his friend, I promised him that I would help with protecting them where I could. That promise is not one that I will let die with my friend."

I nod him. Loyalty is something that I can understand. Demons though are not easily impressed and for Fintan to have earned Cataliades' loyalty to this extent, well, that tells me something about Sookie's grandfather.

"She and hers have my protection for as long as I walk in this life," he adds surprising me yet again. I could understand his protection over Sookie with his loyalty to Fintan. But for including those she sees as 'hers' in the protection, that is something that would not be required and by most never done. And here I have worked with this lawyer for decades and he is still surprising me.

I incline my head in a small bow in acceptance of his words and to show him I understand the meaning them. He is offering me his protection. And since things do not appear to be slowing down anytime soon, it is something that I will take.

He turns to start to walk towards his car but pauses to call over his shoulder, "You have something very special Mr. Northman."

I know at once what he is talking about. "Sookie is more than special," I say to him starting to turn around myself to head back inside. The chuckling of the demon stops me and he turns back to face me.

"I am not simply talking about Sookie, herself," he tells me. "Though it's true that her alone would be special enough. No I am talking about the part of her that she gave to you willingly. You have a part of her Eric, an important part that she entrusted you with. That's what you have." He pauses and turns around again and gets into his car leaving me seemingly alone.

But as his last words to me repeat in my head, alone is the last thing I feel.

Cataliades words feel like something I should understand without question. But instead, I find them thought provoking. Not necessarily confusing, just something to think about. Sookie has given a part of herself to me and I doubt the demon meant something physical. No, I at least have the understanding that what he said goes deeper than any physical part.

I suddenly find being filled with anger. Anger at myself for simply not understanding, simply not seeing what others apparently see so much more clearly than me. I have felt this numerous times in the past hundreds of years as I believed being a vampire made me incapable of these things.

But lately, for the first time, my anger had been aimed towards my maker.

Sure I have been angry with him before. As with any child, I did not like all the lessons he taught me. Obviously, his methods were never high on my enjoyment list either. These things angered me at the time and have been sources of my temper throughout the centuries. But lately the anger has been aimed at something different. I may not have liked how he 'taught' me, but he did teach me how to survive. I have more than a thousand years that prove that.

But recently, I am starting to believe that he has done me a disservice. Not only in how he chose to educate me on how to survive as a vampire, but by teaching me to bury my feelings, by teaching me there are feelings that I am not capable of having. Not once since I have been a vampire have I felt like I was ever behind.

Until now.

I feel like I should be able to understand Cataliades' words easily. I feel that it should not have taken me so long to believe Sookie as she kept insisting that she loves me. Her love has been only one of the things she has given me. There are many others that I have had the pleasure of receiving in the short amount of time she has been in my life. I may not be completely sure of which one Cataliades is speaking but there is one thing that I do know.

If Sookie has entrusted anything to me, it does not matter what it is. I will protect it with all that I have.

I do not know why I am surprised when I get back to my office to find that Pam and Thalia have joined Sookie in it. I suppose I should be pleased that everything still appears to be in one piece. There have been a few times during this last week where that was not the case.

Though I must admit to being a bit worried when they are quiet as soon as I open the door before bursting into giggles four seconds later. Well, at least Sookie and Pam start to giggle. Thalia simply smiles. I have come to realize that these three together are dangerous.

I know what Pam and Thalia are trying to do. Pam would have felt my worry and my concern while talking with the lawyer. They would have come in here and seen Sookie upset by what she has learned. And they would have wanted to make it better.

Sookie already is much improved from when I left to walk out Cataliades. The color is back in her cheeks and her eyes are clearer, showing that the stress she was feeling has lifted. I have come to learn that this is yet another thing that family can be relied on for.

And I learn just how much they can help as I sit down on my computer and view my new background. When I do, the suppressed giggles become full out laughter and Thalia even lets out a laugh. But when I laugh it is not at the ridiculous picture they put up on my computer.

No, when I laugh it is because I can see the joy on their faces. And I will do whatever is in my power to ensure it remains on their faces.

Unfortunately, I do have some work I need to do before being able to head home tonight. I had hoped to get it done early but the lawyer's visit has delayed it. Sookie goes out to the bar area with Pam as I take out the paperwork that I had been going through the last few nights to try and determine who Threadgill was acting as a lap dog for. I am not finding much and that fact worries me. It likely means that whoever is behind this is someone who is very good at what they do.

Sophie-Anne thinks another monarch is behind this all. It is her belief that another King or Queen got Threadgill to do his bidding with shiny promises. As he was sure he would be getting Sookie out of the deal, it worries me that someone else out there may know more than they should about her. There is a chance only Threadgill knew what Sookie was and had negotiated for her to be his prize but there is also the chance that whoever was truly behind this was also targeting Sookie.

A few more phone calls gets me little new information. Combine that with the old information and we still have next to nothing. Our biggest lead right now is money transfers through bank accounts. But they are very difficult to follow, which is worrisome. If someone can hide their tracks this well, there is no telling what else they are capable of.

I call it a night after a few hours and a few calls to the Queen. We have a few more places to start looking. We find ourselves again not knowing the true target, which makes it harder to determine the perpetrator. Harder but not impossible.

Because we will find them and they will pay for all they have done.

As I am driving back home Sookie's head is on my shoulder, her fingers tangled up in my hair. Her warm breath hits my neck, as she hums along to the song that is playing on the radio. She does not even realize that she does it. When I pointed it out to her she denied it saying that she loves me too much to torture me with her singing.

So I now stay quiet, simply enjoying listening to her, no matter how off key even her humming is. I am comforted by the feeling of her fingers moving through my hair and by her soft breath on my neck. I have heard humans talk about the little things in life before, taking pleasure in things that seem trivial. To me, it always seemed silly.

I find myself understanding it perfectly now.

It is much later than I wanted to be home with her tonight. Our surprise guest kept us later at Fangtasia than I wanted with his information. The information Cataliades brought with him only added to the thoughts that were already going on in my head. We are really no closer to determining who Threadgill was actually working for. In fact, the list has only gotten longer – and that is only the connections we know of. There could be many that we do not.

And all of this is information I should be working through. I could very well be talking with Sookie about what we learned tonight. We will be discussing it, and I will be working through everything. But right now, the only thing I can focus on is the tiny human lying in my arms with her head on my chest. Now it is my fingers moving through her hair and it is my humming that fills the room.

And I am happy that with her moving in here, this is something that will happen nightly. I ask her softly when she would like to move the rest of her things in. She shifts so she can look up at me. "I'm not sure I need to," she answers me. "With the amount of stuff Pam keeps buying me, there would be no room."

I let out a little laugh. "You did give her clearance."

"Yes, for a few things."

"To Pam, that is a 'few things.'"

"I will have to remember to be specific next time."

"Now you are learning."

Her fingers start to dance across my chest in intricate design. Or maybe their motion is completely random. The only thing I know is they are leaving warm trails in their wake and I do not think it is simply because of her temperature. "There are a few things I would like to bring here though."

"Whatever you want. I will build you a whole new wing for whatever things you want to bring over here."

"Pam will be jealous."

"It will be good for her," I say before we lapse back into the comfortable silence. I cannot remember a time where this simplicity was enough for me. When just being in bed, being held brought me this much comfort, this much pleasure. I cannot describe the feeling that is starting to fill me. It is one that I do not remember ever feeling before. And it may be selfish of me with everything that we could be discussing at the moment, but right now I will not do anything that breaks that.

**Hello dear readers. I do hope you enjoy this bit of a chapter. We get some info about what threat the Fae could be and we get some inner musings from Eric. He's made some realizations and it's important to understand his mindset for what's coming. As always thanks for reading. All of the alerts and comments are certainly helping me get through the week.**

**Headaches are still a big issue at the moment. Chapters will come when they can but may not be on our usual weekend schedule for a few weeks. Trying something new for them this week so hopefully it will help.**


	3. Thank You For Loving Me

_I never knew I had a dream _

_Until that dream was you _

_When I look into your eyes _

_The sky's a different blue _

_Cross my heart _

_I wear no disguise _

_If I tried, you'd make believe _

_That you believed my lies _

_Thank you for loving me _

_For being my eyes _

_When I couldn't see _

_For parting my lips _

_When I couldn't breathe _

_Thank you for loving me – Bon Jovi_

**Sookie POV**

In the days that had gone by since Mr. Cataliades had come to speak with Eric and I, we still haven't learned much else about anything. I still have not heard back from Niall or Cataliades about our meeting and about Eric being included in it. I am not sure if that is a bad thing, good thing, or if it really doesn't mean anything at all.

We are also not any closer to figuring out who may have been behind Threadgill's attempt on Louisiana. That's becoming a bit of a theme and I know it is one that we are growing tired of. Everything that we are finding out or using to narrow down the possibilities proves that whoever was behind this is a big threat, much bigger than Threadgill was himself.

And that has me worried.

Sophie-Anne is surprised that whoever it was, hasn't already made another attempt on the state. Though we did come out the winners, surviving a takeover would put us at a bit of a disadvantage when it comes to surviving another one so soon. Add to that, that we are trying to combine two states and one would think that whoever was behind everything would see us as weak and would want to try for the state sooner rather than later. The fact that they haven't makes everyone believe that Louisiana is truly not the goal of this individual.

And with knowing where Threadgill's aim truly was at, that has everyone a bit more on edge.

I was extremely on edge a few nights ago when Eric had to go to New Orleans to discuss things with the Queen. They were trying to determine if a lead was credible but she also wanted Eric's opinion on which of the Louisiana vampires she could station in Arkansas to ensure that merging the two states is successful. It's very good that she is asking Eric for help with this. It shows that she has a great trust in him and after everything he did for her with Threadgill, she better.

So it was great that he was going down to New Orleans to help her. It was a really good thing. But that didn't mean I had to like it.

And I really didn't like it. I didn't even know how much I didn't like it until Pam had walked in the door, home from Fangtasia a full four hours earlier than she should have been. Thalia had called her concerned that her own attempts to cheer me up hadn't worked. I hadn't even realized she was trying or that I even needed any cheering up. I had felt a little bad after that.

Pam had sat me down and made me talk and I didn't even realize how much I had needed it. But she and Thalia had and they had cared enough to make sure that it happened. I couldn't have found two better friends if I had tried.

I hope that Eric talks to Pam too. I know that he talks to me and I think he knows that he can talk to me about anything but I hope he realizes that statement is true about his child as well. I know he was upset about something when he came in that night after walking Mr. Cataliades out to his car. He had tried to hide it, but I know the fact was not missed by me, or by the other two vampires who had been in the room when he came back in. I am just glad that the picture we had put on his computer seemed to lighten his mood. Pam had gotten a bit handsy in our pose so I am glad it suited our purposes.

I am not sure what had gotten him that upset and I haven't wanted to ask. I know there are still things Eric isn't comfortable speaking about yet or even simply acknowledging out loud. I trust him enough that if it was something that I needed to know, he would tell me. I keep letting him know I will listen when he is ready, but I more than understand the need to work through some things yourself before being able to discuss them with others.

Talking with Pam the night Eric was in New Orleans had centered me. With everything that has gone on and what is going on, I had gotten a little off kilter. I would have felt nervous with Eric going down their either way, but Pam was able to see that him being gone for the night had just given me one thing to focus on, that all of my nervousness from everything that was going on was now wrapped with Eric being in New Orleans.

Once I realized that, I was able to separate everything. The new vampire threat, the potential threat my fairy great grandfather represented, even moving in with Eric, it was all coupled with him being gone. Once I was able to sort through everything, yes I was still nervous but it was a more reasonable feeling and it was something that I could handle.

Then of course, my thoughts go to what happened when Eric returned.

I can't suppress the shiver that runs through my body, as I remember just how Eric showed me how happy he was to see me and to be home. "Cold," a voice calls out from the front of the car I am currently traveling in.

My eyes open and look to the rearview mirror where I can see Alcide's eyes on me. I shake my head, hoping that the blush stays out of my cheeks as he gives me a bit of a nod and turns his attention back to driving. Tray turns around slightly in his seat to take a look at me himself before resuming his conversation of the pack with Alcide. There had been an issue with one of the Arkansas Weres that had decided to stay in Louisiana but the two of them seem to have it under control. Tray is really thankful that Alcide has been helping him so much and has officially made him his second. I know that though Alcide was happy to help, he originally stayed here to keep busy after what had happened with Debbie. He has found himself a home though and I am glad his thoughts are much happier.

I'm not entirely sure how these two ended up driving me back to my house in Bon Temps today, though I have a pretty good idea. Eric and I had planned to move some of my things to his house tonight and I decided that I wanted to make dinner for some friends beforehand. My excitement for moving in with Eric for more than my safety has been growing in me ever since we had that discussion. Leaving my childhood home though, that idea was sad no matter how excited I was to be living with Eric.

I had planned on driving into town and getting started on dinner and having everyone just meet at my house. That's why I was surprised when I had a call from Alcide that afternoon explaining that he and Tray heard I would be coming back to Bon Temps tonight. They would be in the Shreveport area and would have no problem driving me back to Bon Temps if I wanted.

Yeah, more like Eric called them and told them to play bodyguard for me for the day.

And I will admit that part of me wanted to simply scream, "No," and slam down the phone. I don't like the idea of having bodyguards but I find that it's more that I don't like the situations I find myself in that make having bodyguards safer. I could get very angry with Eric for doing this behind my back and will admit that part of me was. But I know that Eric arranged this because he cares and because he's worried. That's what I keep telling myself in my head. And I did go to sleep early last night so he easily could have arranged this after I was asleep. He could have found out more information after I had gone to bed. So I have decided to give him the benefit of the doubt.

Part of me still doesn't like it though.

After a quick stop at the supermarket to get supplies, as the house isn't too stocked since I haven't been living there, we pull up to my house. "I'm sorry you guys have to waste your whole day."

"I wouldn't call being with you a waste, Sookie," Alcide says. I don't want to look to far into his words but can't help 'hear' when his thoughts flit through his usually snarly mind. That's when I can feel myself smile because he means nothing but friendship with his words. In fact, there is a female Were in the pack that has caught his attention and I can't help but hope it works out for him.

"Anytime a free meal is offered, it's never a waste," Tray says jokingly.

"Yeah, I love you too Tray," I tell him and he gives me a wink. The two Weres help me carry in the supplies, well carry them in for me, and I get to work on cooking, so dinner will be ready when everyone gets here. The boys are kind enough to ask if I want some help, but aren't eager enough to keep the hope that I will say no from their voice. Having pity on them, I pop open two beers and tell them to go ahead and go find something to watch on television.

They can't get out of the kitchen fast enough.

Cooking is very therapeutic. I am making Gran's chicken, which is a recipe I know very well so cooking it has me walking through the motions, giving me time to think. But now I am thinking about good things like Gran letting me help her in the kitchen for the first time. My eyes tear at the thought but there is a smile on my face too. That's how I want to remember my Gran. Thinking about the last time I saw her is too hard.

So I cook and remember because sometimes that's all we can do.

As dinner is almost ready, I hear the front door open, which is probably announcing Jason's here. When I don't hear any movement from my bodyguards that only adds more evidence that it's my brother coming through the door. My thought is confirmed as he comes into the kitchen and says, "Hey, Sookie," while wrapping one of his arms around my waist. I turn and wrap my arms around his neck, accepting the hug from my brother.

I am more than surprised when I see what Jason has in the arm he hasn't wrapped around me. As I pull away, he shoves a bouquet of flowers at me. That earns him another hug and I say softly, "Thanks big brother."

"I love you, Sis," he says wrapping his other arm around me. As he does so, I get hit in the face with the flowers but I don't even care. Both of us have been in danger recently and the fact that we are both standing here is something that I don't want to take for granted.

"I love you too, Jase," I tell him giving his neck a squeeze.

"It'll be different with you not living here," he says. He knows that I am moving in with Eric and he also knows that I am not selling the house. I just can't. He has already promised to check in on it.

"It will be," I tell him. "But that doesn't mean it will be bad." I pull away and say, "You'll come visit me, right,"

"You won't be able to keep me away," he says as I take the flowers from him. I quickly get a vase, cut them, and put them on display. Jason, just like Tray and Alcide, asks if I need help all the while eyeing the doorway into the living room where the sounds of a game can be heard. I give him a shove toward the room and tell him to go. He stops at the fridge for a beer on his way out.

It's not too much longer before the food is done. Eric told us not to wait, as the three vampires can't eat anyway so I call in the boys and tell them the food is ready.

We are just sitting down when my front door slams open and I hear, "Party's here," being yelled through it. I simply shake my head as Pam walks through the door and heads into the kitchen putting away the bottled blood she brought for the evening. She's followed by Thalia who comes in simply shaking her head and Eric who is at my side picking me up in his arms before I can even register that he came in through the door.

I move to give him what I intended to be a quick kiss but his hand on the back of my head says he is thinking otherwise. I feel something bounce off my head and hear Jason say, "I don't need to be seeing that."

I pull away from Eric to see a dinner roll on the floor. He threw a dinner roll at us! I pick it up and throw it back to him saying, "It's not like I haven't seen worse from you." It's good not to be the one blushing for once.

Pam comes out of the kitchen carrying three of the bottled bloods for the vampires in the room. I would say that Pam playing waitress is a shocking sight itself, but that has nothing on the fact that Tray still has his arm attached to his body after he smacks her ass when she walks by. In fact, she gives him a bit of a wink.

I think I have entered the twilight zone.

Eric, probably on seeing my confused look, leans into me and whispers, "They have common interests."

But in a room full of Supes, he may as well have been screaming. Thalia lets out a snort at his words and says, "More like one common interest."

Suddenly it all clicks in my head. "When will Amelia be getting back," I ask Pam, unable to keep the teasing from my voice. I know she had been seeing, or whatever she had been doing with, Amelia. Tray had also hooked up with Amelia before she left with Octavia to go to New Orleans to help Sophie-Anne. I guess I just hadn't realized there might have been some overlap that the three of them may have enjoyed.

"I hate you all," Pam says, sitting down at the table. With the look on her face, I am glad she didn't need any silverware at her seat.

"Family dinners, huh," Eric says as everyone else dives into their food. Well, the ones that eat at least. "Be careful what you wish for."

I shake my head though and say with a smile, "It's perfect."

I start putting food on my plate when Eric suddenly grabs my hand. "Alcide and Tray," he starts out awkwardly. I sit back in my seat and rub his hand with my thumb, encouraging him to continue. Well, I may have given him a look told him he better explain himself.

But he does and probably would have done so without the look since he's the one that brought them up anyway. I was right in thinking he simply arranged it after I was asleep. He's worried that if there is another monarch eying Louisiana for whatever reason that they would send spies or scouts out beforehand. He doesn't have to add that because I was one of the targets in Threadgill's plan, these scouts could easily be after me.

I nod at his explanation and lean over and give him a kiss, letting him know that I accept what he did. He growls when I pull away before he can deepen it. Focusing back on dinner, I see that Pam, Alcide, and Tray had been listening to our conversation. Alcide and Tray at least have the decency to look away once they saw it was over.

Pam not so much. And that's why she gets hit in the head with a dinner roll. But it wasn't thrown by me. Eric gets another kiss for his troubles, from me at least. He gets a glare from Pam.

What gets my attention more though, is that Jason and Thalia seem to have talked through our conversation. Generally speaking two people having a conversation at dinner wouldn't be too abnormal. But Thalia is actually talking to someone who isn't Pam, Eric, myself, or someone she is barking orders at. And Jason has been focusing on one female for more than two minutes of a conversation.

That's what's impressive.

The rest of dinner goes on without anything else flying. I mainly just sit back and take it all in. Though I wouldn't give up my time with Gran and Jason for anything, this was something I missed growing up. Our dinner table should have been full like this. My grandfather should have been here. My parents should have been here. Aunt Linda should have been here and as we got older, Hadley should have continued to be here too. And Bartlett never should have done anything that got him kicked out of family dinners.

Looking around at everyone's faces, I sink into Eric's side as he wraps his arm around my shoulder. I kiss his cheek and whisper, "Thank-you," into his ear. He looks down at me in confusion and I look around the table in explanation. If it weren't for him most of the table, most of these people who had become my friends and family, wouldn't be here.

"No," he says shaking his head. "It is I that has to thank you. You have opened my eyes to what all of this means. Though I may still be learning, I know that it is great. And it has been you that has given me all this. So thank you."

I know that my thank-you to Eric was much more than simple thanks for introducing me to most of the people around my table. It means so much more. It's a thank you for everything that he is done for me, everything he is still doing for me. I can see the same it true for his when I look into his eyes. He may not have the words yet but as I have been telling him, words are meaningless without anything to back them up. I'd rather have what Eric does for me to prove his feelings any day of the week, even if I never hear those words come from his mouth.

I don't think that will be the case though.

He nuzzles into my hair so he doesn't see when Pam too mouths, 'thank-you,' to me from across the table.

I know she has wanted nothing more for Eric than this for a long time. She has wanted him to see his worth and to realize that there are people who care for and love him. I'm just glad she gets to see it.

Soon after dinner, everyone except Pam and Eric leave. Thalia is meeting with some other vampires to see if they have any information about what we may be dealing with. Tray and Alcide have pack business tonight. I am not sure what Jason has going but I don't miss the look he throws Thalia as she leaves. It just has me shaking my head with a smile on my face as I walk him to the door.

As I walk back past Eric after closing the door he pulls me into him and kisses me. "I have wished to do that all night, without the danger of flying objects aimed at my head," he says breaking away only to pull me back impossibly closer, coaxing my mouth open with his.

"So have I," Pam says with a laugh in her voice. I take one of my hands from Eric's shoulder and give Pam a one-fingered wave. I pull away from Eric to breathe and am about to tell Pam that she can keep wishing, when Eric's phone rings. All four of us let out a groan hearing the ringtone.

Sophie-Anne is calling.

Eric pulls away from me and I hate the guilty look I see in his face. Does it suck? Absolutely, but it's not his fault. It's his job and he can't help it. I press another quick kiss to his lips right before he answers the phone. I whisper to him that I'm going to go upstairs and start going through some things so hopefully we can get home at a decent hour. He nods and presses a kiss to my hair before turning his attention to the Queen.

I head upstairs and enter my Gran's room. I still can't think about calling it anything else but her room. I will miss living here but as I told Eric, the idea of an empty house isn't one I find too exciting anymore.

I start going through my Gran's jewelry box looking to see if there is anything that Jason would want. I don't know if anything from our human grandfather was in there or maybe something he would want to give to a girl – if he ever finds one that can keep his interest.

Though with what happened throughout dinner, I am wondering if he might actually be closer to that than I think.

As I continue to go through the jewelry, I pick out a few pieces that Hadley may like. It took a vampire intervention, but from all I heard she had gotten her life together before she was turned. Granted she sold me down the river while she was at it but I'm sorry that Gran never knew that Hadley was okay. We had thought she was dead all these years and though we were technically correct, I am sure Gran would have done anything to see her, even as a vampire.

Eric comes into the room and takes a seat on the bed, just watching me work. "Did you talk about everything you needed to," I ask him.

"Not nearly," he says with a sigh. "We have plans in place but can do nothing until we have more answers. But the more we talk the farther away from the answers we get. We just keep getting more questions."

I feel him up and behind me milliseconds before I feel his arms come around me as he pulls me back into his chest. "I am sorry," he says softly, nuzzling his face into my hair.

"For what," I ask, confused at his apology.

"This was a nice evening, a fantastic evening. I am ruining it."

I turn around in his arms and pull his face down to mine. Or I should say I try to pull his face down to mine. He resists and I don't push, knowing that all of the unknowns right now are really bothering him. And they are just compounding everything else going on in his little head about his maker.

And about me.

I don't want to push him, but I can't let him carry on like this. I know he is feeling the weight of everything but he has plenty of people willing to help him carry it. He's not used to not being alone and relying on others. Even with Pam, he's always felt the need to protect her. I know he has come to know that he has something special with me, Pam, and even Thalia. Now I am just hoping he realizes what we can do for each other.

I wrap my arms around him and lay my head on his chest. "You ruined nothing, Eric. Absolutely nothing. This was a fun night. You can't ruin that. Would I like it if there weren't any dire situations to discuss? Absolutely, but that isn't our life right now unfortunately. Remembering that there are things we have to deal with out there, that's what's going to get us through it. We can't just sit back and forget or not deal. As much as we would like to, we can't." I pause and look up at him before I say, "But I can't wait until we can."

I don't know how to take it when Eric brings his hand down on my Gran's desk. The bang is soft so I don't think it was in anger. I really don't know how to take it when he does is again, this time tapping softly. I do feel his tension leave his boy though as he asks curiously, "Do you know this spot is hollow," he asks looking down at the desk at the desk in inspection. "There is something like a slit here," he adds.

I will take his word for it because I see nothing but wood when I look at the spot that has gotten his attention. It's not a drawer space so it shouldn't be hollow. I shake my head and tell him that maybe it's just age. He takes a step back, allowing me to take a closer look. He takes my hand and moves it to the spot and I can feel that there is an area where the wood feels different. Manipulating my finger trying to see if I can see if there is anything special about the spot, I hear a pop and suddenly a piece of wood comes off revealing and hidden space in the desk.

Looking to Eric, I reach my hand in really expecting not to find anything. I hadn't known anything about the secret cubby. I am more than surprised when my hand closes around something. I wrap my hand around it and am even more shocked to feel how warm it is but attribute it to the heat in the closed space. I start to pull out my arm, not having any idea of what I am going to see when my hand is free.

**Hello dear readers. I do hope that you have enjoyed the chapter. In these first three chapters we have really seen what the group will be dealing with in this part of the tale. Of course there will be some complications thrown in along the way. **

**Headaches seem to be in a holding pattern currently, fingers crossed they stay that way. This week is a crazy one though so the next chapter may be delayed a few days rather than go out next weekend.**

**To my one guest reviewer, thank you so much for giving my little tale a try. I am so happy you enjoyed it enough to work through it in days. Thanks so much for stopping by and letting me know you did.**


	4. Dance, Dance

_Dance, dance_

_We're falling apart to half time_

_Dance, dance_

_And these are the lives you'd love to lead_

_Dance, this is the way they'd love_

_If they knew how misery loved me – Fall Out Boy_

**Sookie POV**

I slowly start to pull my arm out of the hidden compartment, all the while rubbing whatever is in my hand with my thumb. I don't exactly know why I feel compelled to but doing so is causing a warm feeling to creep up my arm. Again, I am confused on why I suddenly feel comforted by it.

I jump when a hand encloses around my arm, quickly turning around to see that it is only Eric who slowly starts to pull on my arm, bringing it out. "I can do it," I tell him, feeling confusion at why he feels the need to do so.

"You been 'doing it' for about two minutes already," he tells me and I can hear the worry in his voice. "You just stopped pulling your arm out and have kept it still for minutes," he explains as my hand comes free of the compartment.

I stare at him in shock at hearing this. I could have sworn my hand was in there for mere seconds. How could I have lost two minutes of time? Eric, probably seeing the concern on my face presses a kiss to my forehead. "You were calm," he whispers, pulling away. "That is the only reason your hand stayed in there as long as it did."

I nod to him and try to give him a bit of a smile. I think I fail at that though, unnerved that two minutes have passed and I recall nothing of it. I look down to what is in my hand and I am again surprised at what I see. It's a locket, the charm without the chain. I would say it's a simple locket, but the way it vibrates in my hand makes me think it is anything but simple.

"Do you recognize it," Eric asks and his voice causes me to look at the charm and up at him. His eyes are focused on me however, instead of the charm in my hand. If what he says is true and I lost those minutes though, I can't say that I blame him.

At his question, my first response is to shake my head no, when a memory suddenly enters my mind. It wasn't too long after my parents died. I was playing outside with Jason when a man I had never seen before seemed to suddenly appear next to my Gran as she was hanging up some sheets to dry. She didn't seem frightened by the stranger or his sudden appearance at all. He started talking but she shook her head and sent Jason and I to go play in the backyard.

I looked back as Jason was dragging me into the back, eager to throw me in some mud back there and saw Gran's hand's move to her face, obviously upset at whatever the stranger had told her. He takes her into his arms as his gaze moves to me over Gran's shoulder. His gaze is full of emotion as he sees me right as Jason manages to pull me around the corner of the house.

Gran was pretty upset the rest of the afternoon and night. I had stayed away from her knowing that she didn't want to think about what was wrong in my presence. I didn't want to make her even more upset by hearing what she obviously did not want me to hear. After my bath though, I went to her room to tell her goodnight, planning to spend the rest of the night in my room. As I got to her doorway I saw her standing in front of her mirror, quiet tears slipping down her face. She held the charm on her necklace, the same that is currently in my hand, in her hands before quietly slipping it over her head. I tiptoed back to my room not wanting to bother her any more.

"I haven't seen it again since that night," I tell Eric after explaining what I remember to him. I suddenly feel a hand come over mine, and Eric's finger start to move with mine. It's only then that I realize that I have been stroking the locket the whole time. Not understanding what I am feeling from the jewelry, I shove it into Eric's open hand. I watch him roll it around in his hand, but his attention never leaves my face, which leaves me wondering even more what the hell this tiny little charm really is.

"You don't feel that," I ask him. He shakes his head and I don't miss that he puts it down on the dresser rather than back in my hand.

"What do you feel," he asks me.

I try to put what I feel from it into words. "It feels alive," I tell him, explaining the warmth and vibrations I feel from it. "It feels like it's mine," I tell him. He picks it up and again moves it around his hand.

He shakes his head and says, "It feels room temperature to me. Nothing special just a simple locket." He places it back in my hand and suddenly the warm feeling is back.

"You get nothing from it?"

"Nothing," he confirms.

"That's weird," I tell him, putting it on the desk.

"Not really," Eric says. I look at him, not understanding what he is getting at. "If this is a Fae trinket it would not be weird for you to feel something, for you to feel like this is yours, and for me to feel nothing."

That gets me thinking. He could very well be right. It's not like I've had any fairy relative to explain this kind of stuff to me. The thought that I have one trying to see me crosses my mind but I send it on its way. Not the best time to deal with that thought with everything else currently going on.

Like a charm that is seemingly trying to mesmerize me.

I am just about to ask Eric if he knows any fairies so that we can test his theory when the front door opens downstairs. My protective vampire doesn't seem too concerned about it and I understand why as Jason calls up the stairs, "Sorry Sook, but I forgot my leftovers. Wanted to come by and get them for lunch tomorrow."

My eyes go to Eric's as I realize something that he probably has already thought of. Jason, like me, has some fairy blood in him. If this was a Fae trinket, as Eric put it, he should feel something too.

"It's fine Jason. But could you come up here for a minute. I want to show you something."

I can hear that he moves to the foot of the stairs. "Uh, Sook," he calls up. "If Eric is up there with you, I'm not sure I want to see what you have to show me."

I groan and yell, "Like I would call you up here to see that. Jason just get your ass up here."

I can hear him muttering to himself as I hear his footsteps on the stairs. I can't make out what he is saying under his breath but judging from the chuckle Eric lets out he does.

I don't think I want to know.

Part of me wishes I could just be honest with Jason about everything and just tell him the truth about Gran and the fairies. But now isn't the time. So instead, ignoring the look of relief on Jason's face on seeing Eric and I fully clothed, I hand him the locket and ask if he remembers it.

He looks at it for a few seconds before saying, "Yeah. Gran wore it when we were younger." I listen into his thoughts to see what he feels with it in his hand but he, like Eric, feels nothing. I don't know what to do with that and I can tell with the look on his face neither does Eric. He takes the charm out of Jason's hand.

Jason looks confused and I don't blame him. "Thanks," I tell him. "I thought it looked familiar but I couldn't remember where I had seen it before."

Jason looks around the room and sees that I am packing some things up. "Do you need any help, Sook," he asks and this time, unlike when he asked in the kitchen, he means it.

"Thanks for the offer Jase," I tell him. "But I got it. Just going through jewelry now. You are welcome to stay though."

He looks around the room and I see his eyes get a bit watery before he turns around and says that he'll let me get back to work so I can get to home sooner. He never turns back around but he does say that he loves me over his shoulder before leaving. Eric wraps his arms around me from behind and rests his head on mine. He doesn't need to say anything. Just him being here is enough. I'm not used to seeing an emotional Jason but he, like I was earlier, was thinking about all the people who should still be here.

Eric's phone rings and shatters the silence and he looks confused as he sees who's calling. "Pam," he tells me before answering. That is odd. She and Thalia were going to be going to Fangtasia to make sure the closing of the bar went smoothly. There had been a few fights at closing recently so everyone working was taking extra care that they didn't bring any unwanted attention. Pam should have been able to handle anything tonight. The fact that she feels the need to bring anything to Eric's attention is not a good thing.

The look on Eric's face as he hangs up, unfortunately proves my thinking correct. "We need to get to Fangtasia," he tells me as he gently starts to pull me down the stairs and out of the house.

"What's wrong," I ask, getting into the car.

"Octavia called right before Pam and Thalia got to the bar. The protection wards she put up detected something."

"Danger," I asked wondering about the vagueness of that statement. 'Something' could mean a lot of things.

"I do not know," Eric says as he goes speeding down the driveway. I can feel the worry in his voice and I'm sure he can sense it coming off of me. We are quiet during the rest of the car ride. I know Eric is worried and thinking about ways to ensure everyone's safety.

I'm just thinking about how I hope my family is okay.

**Eric POV**

I have so many thoughts running through my head as I drive to Fangtasia, the most pressing is that I wish there was a safer option than taking Sookie with me. However, this breach could mean all hands on deck will be needed, which would not leave me with anyone I would trust with her safety. This is why she is safely buckled into the passenger seat driving toward the unknown danger with me.

She is quiet on the ride, knowing that I would need this time to plot and plan many different options that could counteract whatever will be waiting for us at the bar. But with her actions while she was holding that pendant, my thoughts are not as focused on the potential threat than they should be. Sure, I have some plans working through my mind and am not ignoring the danger, but behind my plans I cannot hide my worry of what her reaction could mean we were dealing with, on top of everything else.

I did not lie when I told her she had her arm in that desk for two minutes. The only reason why I did not simply yank her arm out of there was what I told her – she remained calm and did not seem to be in pain, quite the opposite actually. The last time I had felt that from her was when she agreed to speak to someone about her past abuse. She had not even known at the time how much she was craving the ability to talk with someone for the help she so desperately needed.

And that was something that I too was all too familiar with.

During those impossibly long minutes, the calm feeling that was filling her was the only thing that kept me from destroying that desk if I needed to, to get her arm out. Her reaction to the pendant is a bit worrisome. Even if Jason did not feel anything from it, I am not convinced that it is not something Fae. That alone bothers me, knowing the kind of things fairies can create.

Problem is, I do not know any trustworthy Fae to ask to find out if my worries are correct. But that is not where my focus should be tonight.

I pull up to Fangtasia and can see Pam and Thalia standing a few feet back from the doors. I get out and am over at Sookie's door before mine is even closed. I do not need to be reminded of the ambush that happened here not too long ago. We may have killed that shooter, but that does not mean there would not be others. Pam, knowing what I am thinking tells me that there are already patrols around the outside of the bar to ensure that this is not an ambush.

That just leaves whatever the wards picked up still inside the bar.

"Have we spoke to someone inside," I ask Pam.

She nods and tells me Felicia is inside. "We are lucky it was already so close to closing," she says. "Many humans had already left and the ones that are inside are under glamour so they do not panic and potentially make the situation worse." She continues to list the vampires that are inside. I nod and am happy there are so many inside. Their numbers may be needed.

"What exactly did Octavia say," I ask.

"That the wards have picked up something odd."

"How come they did not go off here then to alert us of the danger?"

"She did not know. Her answer to that was that the wards may have been tampered with, they may need to be strengthened, or whatever set them off does not have an immediate intent to harm."

I curse and take two steps towards the door. "How can they not have found what set off the wards? Is it dangerous to cross them?"

"If they have been tampered with, there is no way of knowing. If something simply set them off, Octavia says there should be no danger. Felicia didn't want anyone leaving or anyone new in until you got here. She didn't want to chance the perpetrator escaping or more coming in."

I do not like not knowing where the danger lies. It makes no sense that the wards were set off but what set them off was not in the bar. It also makes no sense that the vampires in the bar have not been able to locate the potential threat. Thinking through my few options to get this situation under control, I make the only decision I can and decide to go inside.

I am not surprised when I see the looks on Pam and Sookie's face when I tell them that I will be going inside to find out what has been going on. Nor am I surprised when Thalia says she is coming in with me. I would rather her stay out here, safer with the others but the look on her face matches the look that is probably also on mine – determination and I know I won't be able to talk her out of it. 

I press a kiss to Sookie's head before turning and walking to the entrance, never once letting my senses to what is going on outside the bar dull. Just as I am getting to the door it opens and immediately Thalia and I react. We both relax our stance when we see it is only Felicia, but we are both still ready to pounce if the situation calls for it. "We found her," Felicia says to me.

"Is she restrained," I ask her starting to make my way into the bar.

"Yes," she tells me. "But I'm not sure it was necessary," she adds, confusing me. I am not sure why she would not think it was necessary to restrain a threat.

"Where is she," I say stopping when I get to the main area. I do not see anything out of place.

"In the basement."

"It is good you brought her down there," I tell her heading over to the hallway that will lead to the entrance to the basement.

"We didn't," Felicia says causing me to stop and turn around to face her. "She was just down there, sitting like she was waiting for us. That's why it took us so long to find her. That was the last place we thought anyone would go."

I hear Pam move behind me, seeing that we crossed the wards safely and hearing the confusing words that Felicia said. "Well, what are we waiting for," she says, with a hand on her waist. "Let's go down there and see what the little bitch wants."

**Sookie POV**

I follow Eric, Pam, and Thalia down the stairs into the dungeon area. I can tell that none of them are happy that I am here but I also know that none of them would be happy if I wasn't with them with the threat still unknown. Sure it appears the only threat has neutralized but not everything is at it appears.

Eric toyed with the idea of leaving me outside, but with not knowing any of the Weres well that Tray had been able to send over to help tonight, I know he was not going to be happy with me out of his sight. Sure he would trust his vampires to my safety but the unknown Weres threw him off.

I don't think Tray would send anyone untrustworthy, and I know Eric doesn't either but with everything going on right now and knowing very little about it, he wants me with him.

And I am not complaining about that – even if he is leading me down to his dungeon.

I can't say that being down here is the best part of being with Eric, but it's one that I understand is necessary in his line of work. Would it be great if vampires and other Supes could all solve problems nicely? Absolutely, but it would also be great if humans could too.

The vampire in question is sitting sideways on the ground. There are chains around her but I don't see smoke coming off of her so they don't appear to be silver. Judging by her appearance however, it doesn't look like silver is needed. She's pale, even pale for a vampire. She must have been almost drained as she has deep cuts all over and they are not healing. It's hard to make out that her hair is actually blond when I first see her because of all the red that is running through it. I am just thinking that with her hair and profile she looks similar to Pam, when Eric and Pam run toward the vampire.

But I am shocked when I see the looks on their faces when they get to her. They're not a look of anger, like I would expect from them given this situation. No, the look that is on both of their faces is one of concern and panic.

Not something I expected.

Eric quickly rips the chains off of her and gently picks her up so she is eye to eye with him. Pam stops and stays behind the now upright vampire and I think I see a tear coming out of her eye. "Eric, is it," she asks with a shaky voice.

"No it is not," Eric says. "But someone sure as hell wanted us to think it was."

I look to Thalia who shrugs clearly confused at what we just saw. I look back to Pam and Eric, whose faces now contain some of the anger I expected before but none of it is aimed at the unknown vampire. I'm not sure what exactly is going on but I think our lives just got a bit more complicated.

**Hello dear readers. I do hope that you have enjoyed this last chapter. Most of you have guessed what was found in the drawer, but it will be a few chapters before Sookie and Eric know what was found due to a change in how it was found in this story. As always, thanks for reading. All the reviews and alerts are much appreciated. **


	5. 21 Guns

_Do you know what's worth fighting for?_

_When it's not worth dying for?_

_Does it take your breath away and you feel yourself suffocating?_

_Does the pain weigh out the pride?_

_And you look for a place to hide?_

_Did someone break your heart inside, you're in ruins – Green Day_

**Eric POV **

I was not really thinking of anything as I was told the one who set of the wards was hiding down in the basement – usually the opposite of where any guilty party would hide. I really was not thinking anything out of the ordinary as I made the decision that Sookie would come downstairs with Pam, Thalia, and I. I was not leaving her safety to anyone else. I really was not thinking of anything but punishment as I led the other three women down the stairs. I was not thinking of anything but anger when my eyes first rested on the female vampire. All very simple and basic thoughts.

But as I took in the female vampire's face, those simple thoughts flew out of my head as new, complicated, painful ones took their place. Even as all my instincts are telling me that this vampire cannot possibly be who I think it is, I cannot stop myself from running to her, with Pam a step behind me, and ripping the chains off her. As soon as I am closer I can see the subtle differences in features like her hairline and nose. That does not stop me from gently picking her up so that I can see her face and be sure. And it is her gaze that does it. Those eyes prove that this is not she.

Pam has stayed behind the vampire too afraid to see what we were both worried about. "Is it, Eric," she asks me her voice shaking. I immediately tell her that it is not and after making sure one last time, I throw the vampire across the room and watch her hit the wall and sink to the floor. I move across the room at the same time and am standing over her as she crashes to the floor. "Who the hell sent you," I snarl out not even recognizing the sound of my own voice.

I hear Sookie gasp and I regret that she was here and saw that. But I will get the information I need out of this vampire. I will know who sent her to me and find out what the fuck the message is that they wanted me to receive, because I have a message that I will be sending back to them.

I pick up the female vampire to once again throw her across the room but a hand on my arm stops me. I turn, not understanding why Pam would prevent me from exacting punishment. She was just as worried as I was when we first saw this vampire. She, just like me, should be desperate for answers. It is desperation on Pam's face but I can see that the reason behind it is not the same as what is currently driving me.

"We need to know, Pam," I growl out at her. I turn away from her tightening my grip on the unknown female vampire. The panic in her eyes increases as she can feel my hand squeeze down on her throat. She may not need to breath but a crushed larynx hurts like a bitch.

"I agree, Eric," Pam says gently, her own grip on my arm getting stronger. "But I don't think we are going to be able to learn anything from her."

That gets my attention as I drop the vampire to the ground and turn to my child. "What makes you think that?"

She gives me a pointed look followed by one I would almost call pity if it

were coming from anyone else but my child. "I don't think she has the ability to tell us anything."

The gravity of what Pam said hits me. If she is correct and this vampire is under her maker's command, then Pam is right and there won't be anything we can learn from her. Pam kneels down beside the vampire and says, "You can't tell us anything, even if you wanted to can you?" Her answer is a shake of the head and the wall has a new hole in it thanks to my hand. I turn and take two steps away wanting nothing more than to punt this vampire's head like a football.

But she is young, feels like only months young. Chances are she is nothing more than another pawn in whoever's game this is. If I thought for one second that feeling the death of a child would hurt whoever was behind this, the stake would already be through the vampire's heart. But this vampire may not deserve the final death and a bigger punishment would be for her maker to not feel her death and be left wondering. A maker's command is final but one about communication? It is very difficult to make a command that would cover every single way to communicate.

We will just have to see which one he did not cover.

I turn and start to make my way back over to the unknown vampire and see that Pam has been talking to her quietly. If I did not know my child, I would say she was attempting to comfort what we thought minute ago was a huge threat. I suppose having been under a maker's command herself recently, may be affecting how Pam views this situation. Or it could be just how this vampire looks.

Many ways of extracting information cross my mind in the four steps it takes me to stand in front of where the two vampires are still on the floor again. Both look up at me as I approach. I lift the one I am desperate for information from, much more gently this time. When I look at her face, there is another one that I am seeing. It is very similar and I have to blink three times before I truly see who is in front of me.

"Eric," I hear Sookie call out softly. The question can be heard in her voice but I don't have any answers for her at the moment. I barely have any answers for myself at the moment. I turn towards her and apologize. "Would you wait for me upstairs? In my office," I ask her. I need to have a firmer grip on myself before I can do anything else. I need to have a better idea of what is going on before I can even start to explain it to someone else.

I can see by the look in her face that she wants to say no. I know she is fighting her every instinct to not just scream the word, dig in her heals, and refuse to move. But as her eyes move to Pam before landing back on me, I understand why her instincts are telling her to do just that.

It is because she saw how panicked we were at the sight of this intruding vampire. She does not know what is going on and does not want to leave Pam and I in a situation where we could potentially get hurt, because we have all come to know that it is the emotional and mental pain that it is often harder to heal from, even long after the physical wounds have healed.

When she looks back to me, her eyes tell me all that I need to know. She does not like it, but she is willing to leave if it will help me. She takes a step to close the gap between us and wraps her arms around me. "If that's what you need," she says softly.

I kiss her head and watch as she turns from me and starts to head upstairs. Thalia looks from the still unknown vampire to Pam before her gaze lands on me. She does not like leaving us down here either. But after a few seconds she gives me a nod before following Sookie up the stairs. As I hear the door close behind them, I turn back to the two female vampires still in the basement with me and try to figure out how to get some information.

**Sookie POV**

I can't sit down. I can't stand still. So instead I pace back and forth in Eric's office doing my best to wear a path in his rug. If vampire could get motion sick, Thalia probably would from her gaze following me as I go back and forth. Or at the very least she would have whiplash. She doesn't say a word though and simply just lets me go. After about 45 minutes, I understand why after I collapse on the couch.

"Are you finished yet," she asks as I close my eyes. Her words could be mistaken as cruel if you didn't hear the emotion behind them.

"If only my mind can get tired and collapse," I tell her.

"I will second that," she replies coming over and sitting down on the end of the couch.

"I don't suppose you know anything about what that was downstairs."

She looks at me and tells me that she has her ideas. Yes, I do too and I tell her so. I'm just hoping that her ideas are better than mine, because something that can unnerve both Eric and Pam like that is probably not good.

And the hits just keep on coming.

The door swings open and Pam comes in followed by Eric. Their faces, which are usually calm and steady in a way that comes with centuries of practice, are anything but. Eric has told me that he feels exhausted before with some of the things we've had to deal with and with his silver poisoning. But I have never seen him or Pam look this utterly beat.

And all I want to do is fix it, but I am not even sure where to start. Thalia seems to have an idea though as she asks about the vampire. Eric explains that Felicia is going to be taking her to Mississippi. "Russell has agreed to keep an eye on her. It appears that she is nothing more than a pawn but has been commanded to not speak, not give away her maker or the area she was made in. The only information we can understand from her is that she was not made vampire in the United States, and that is if we can believe her."

I ask why send her to Russell and Eric explains that Russell has proven he can be trusted. "I want her close enough that we can work with her if Octavia can find a way to break the magic of a maker's command, but I want her far enough away that she cannot get information from us or be an immediate threat. She intrigues Russell so he has agreed that she can live in Mississippi and will make sure she stays there."

"When is Octavia due back," I ask. Eric explains that Octavia and Amelia were planning on staying in New Orleans for another week but that he called both Octavia and Sophie-Anne to see if it was possible for them to come home sooner. "They will be here in three days."

I simply nod, not knowing what else to say or do. So I simply move over to Eric and take him in my arms, not being able to take the look on his face any longer. His arms are quickly around me, holding me like a lifeline. And if that is what he needs from me right now, then that will be what he gets. I am a little confused when I feel one of his arms leave my shoulders, but the confusion vanishes as soon as I feel Pam come under it and I too wrap an arm around her. Seconds later, I feel a jostle and surprisingly, Thalia has joined the group hug.

Thalia and I may not understand what's going on with them, but we will give them this and more if that is what they need.

We make our way out of the club. Well, three of us do. Thalia is going to stay behind and make sure everything is locked up and stay with the vampire till the next evening when she will be taken to Russell. There is not enough time left before sunrise to make the journey tonight. I am concerned with Thalia staying at Fangtasia, but Eric assures me with everything in place she will be safe. Still he calls Tray on the way home to ask if he and Alcide, no one else, will guard the club during the day.

That makes us all feel better.

We get back to Eric's house and Pam immediately heads off to her room. Eric looks after her and I can tell that he doesn't want Pam to be alone during the day. I know they are dead for all intents and purposes during the day but I know they find comfort in who they go to rest with and who they wake from that rest with.

It has been something I have seen with Eric numerous times.

I am about to tell Eric that I can sleep upstairs tonight so that Pam can rest with him but before I can he asks, "Can Pam rest with us tonight?"

There is no way I am denying him the comfort of both of us right now, just like I am not going to deny Pam what she clearly needs at the moment. "Of course," I say taking his arm and leading her to Pam's door. "Why don't you tell her and I'll get ready for bed."

Without a word, he enters Pam's room. I stare after him for a few seconds hoping that the two of them get through whatever the hell is going on. I hear the murmur of the two of them talking and I take that as my cue to head into Eric's room and make my way into the bathroom. They will talk to me when they can.

Hopefully.

When I come out of the bathroom, I can see that Pam has not yet made her way into Eric's room. Eric hasn't even gotten changed for his rest yet. I feel a pain in my chest when I take in how he is simply sitting on the edge of his bed with his head hanging down. I move to take a seat next to him and lean on him, leaving the decision for more in his hands. When after a minute he is still quiet and has done nothing to increase the contact I say softly say to him, "Don't shut me out, Eric."

I still get no real response from him and I can feel my heart break a little. It feels like he is pulling away from me and I don't know enough about the situation to understand why. Suddenly, my thoughts go back to the clearing when Eric must have been thinking the same thing. I had asked for time to sort through my thoughts and though he had been willing to let me have it, it would have come at his expense, as he was sure I was walking away from him for good. I know he is not walking away from me and the pain I feel at him being hurt and not talking to me about it is so strong. I can't imagine feeling that coupled with the thought that he was leaving me.

If I hadn't already have vowed to stop running, this would have made me.

It's Eric's arm wrapping around my shoulder that finally starts to bring me back to the present. It's the kiss he places to my temple that further cements me in it. "I do not mean to shut you out," he says softly. "You are the last person I wish to do that too."

"Then talk to me," I tell him. It should be relatively simple, talking to the person you love and letting them know what is wrong. So why is it sometimes the hardest?

He lets out an unneeded sigh and tells me, "You have no idea how much I want to."

"Nothing is stopping you," I say to him, keeping my voice gentle.

"The sun is," he responds sadly. "Once I start to talk Sookie, I am not going to be able to be able to stop until I get it all out. That will be impossible now as dawn is too close." He finally turns his head and I can see the red rimming his eyes as he holds back tears. I cannot hold mine back any longer at the sight, especially when he asks in a small voice I have never heard him use before, "Can I talk to you about it tomorrow night."

"You can talk to me about anything whenever you need to," I tell him before I start to pull him up so that we are lying on the bed. I put his head on my chest and run my fingers through his hair as I wait for the dawn to take him to what will hopefully be a peaceful rest for him.

As Eric and I get comfortable in bed, Pam comes into the room and makes her way over to the other side of Eric. As she gets in she mutters a thank-you but says nothing else about our current sleeping arrangements. Though usually her lack of comments would tend to make me happy, it now just sends another tear to make the journey down my face.

Eric moves slightly so that he can wrap and arm around Pam. I hear her sigh as she relaxes into his hold, accepting the comfort that he is offering her. I know when dawn comes because Eric finally relaxes from the tense way he was lying next to me. I again find myself jealous of a vampire's ability to just turn off when the sun rises. It's a long time before sleep finds me and before it does, my mind goes through what seems like millions of scenarios that could explain my vampire's behaviors.

I just hope that I am thinking the worst-case scenarios here, but something tells me that in the vampire world, my worst-case scenarios might be their best.

Sleep must finally find me though because I jerk awake when I feel the bed move. I look to see Pam and Eric starting to get off of it. Pam is up and out of the room before I can say anything. Eric seeing that I am awake, slumps back down on the bed. "You still feel exhausted," he says quietly. "I wanted to let you sleep more."

I shake my head and move closer to him putting my head in his lap. His fingers immediately start to move through my hair like I was hoping they would. I know the feeling of it helps to soothe him. Hopefully it will work with what's going on now too.

"I don't think I will get a good night's sleep until I know you and Pam are okay," I tell him.

He stays quiet for a few minutes and I let it settle between us. I don't want to push him on this but I can't let it fester in him either. It's going to be a fine line to walk and I am hoping that Eric will take the first step with this. I stay turned away from him, knowing that sometimes it's easier to talk when you're not looking at anyone. See those you care about tear up over your pain can be very touching, but it can also make you want to shut down even more.

"Pam is not my only child," he says softly, his fingers never once stopping their journey through my hair. I had actually figured that. He has often spoken of children in the plural rather than singular. He shifts under me bending one of his legs and bringing it closer to his body. I don't say anything but I bring up one of my arms and stroke his leg, offering any comfort I can give him.

"My other child, her name is Karin," he says before again falling silent. He seems to be telling me the basics rather than get into why whatever happened last night brought to mind his child, though with some of the things that have happened in the past, I am starting to get an idea of what may have happened.

"What's she like," I ask, eager for him to continue to talk and sensing that this will be easier for him. I can easily feel the pride coming off of him as he tells me about her. He explains that she's strong, like a warrior even having the nickname Karin the Slaughterer. It's when he gets to her physical appearance that my thoughts are all but confirmed. "Her looks are very similar to Pam's," he explains. "She is tall and has long blond hair, at least she did the last time I saw her," he says sadly, as his voice starts to trail off.

"The vampire last night reminded you of her didn't it," I ask gently, hoping that he will respond. His fingers pause in my hand for a second before again beginning their travels. I hold my breath for a few seconds afraid that he will not answer. He takes an unneeded breath. "She looked remarkably like Karin. In fact, even though I did not feel her down in that basement, I was sure it was her and her injuries were what had been preventing me from feeling her."

"That must have been horrible for you," I tell him stroking his leg. I remember how I had felt seeing Jason unconscious and seeing those silver rods through Pam's stomach. I know that whatever Eric had felt, thinking his child had been tortured and hurt would have been so much worse.

"It would not have been the first time I saw her like that," he says and I can hear the anger in his voice and feel the tension as it starts to enter his body.

"She was taken," I ask, again remembering how Pam had been taken and tortured.

"No, she was not taken," Eric says bitterly. "She, herself, always has been a force to be reckoned with herself. And with me as her maker, there would have been few that tried."

I am about to ask what had happened when Eric flips me, keeping my head on his lap but now I am facing him. There is again a pain in my chest as I see the red tears that have been silently moving down his face and I work hard to keep the tears that are building in mine from doing just that. This is about Eric right now and I want to make sure he stays focused on that.

Before I can get the words out of my mouth, Eric offers me an answer to the question I have not yet asked. "My maker wished to meet her." And with those words, he doesn't have to say anything else. Eric may only be starting to understand how much of a bastard his maker truly is but it is something that I have understood for as long as I have known about him.

"In front of you," is what I ask. I don't have to specify just what it is he did in front of Eric; that much can be understood, especially when taking in the form of the vampire last night.

I watch Eric nod as he tells me, "Yes. I watched her get every single bruise, watched her skin split from every single cut." He closes his eyes and his hands are suddenly out of my hair and as far away from me as they can get. Tears start pouring out of his closed eyes as he says in a strangled voice, "One of which came from my own hands."

**Hello dear reader, and we have quite a few new ones who have joined the ride. Thanks so much for giving it a try and I do hope that you enjoy it. Thanks also to those letting me know their thoughts on the story.**

**Now, as you can imagine, there is going to be quite a bit more to this tale. It's going to be an important part in Eric's journey. The locket that was found has not been forgotten either, this is just taking kinda taking over at the moment.**

**If you're like me and will be trying to get through TB tonight, I wish you luck.**


	6. Feel Again II

_I'm feeling better ever since you know me_

_I was a lonely soul but that's the old me_

_A little wiser now from what you've shown me_

_Yeah, I feel again_

_Feel again – OneRepublic_

**Eric POV**

I had turned Sookie towards me, thinking that I wanted to see her face as I told her this but after I say the words I close my eyes, not being able to look at her. In my mind I do not even deserve to look at her. Silence hangs between us, and spreads through the whole room. It is not heavy and suffocating as silence can be sometimes. It is a more comforting silence, which is what surprises me.

I am focusing on Sookie's heartbeat trying to keep myself going back to that room, going back to centuries ago. I must be trying really hard because I do not even sense Sookie moving until I feel her arms wrap around my neck. I bury my face in her hoping, hoping that the smell will help keep me in the present because I am dangerously close to losing myself in my past.

Sookie must sense when I start to feel more grounded because it is only then that she says, "That must have been hell for you, to be forced to hurt your child."

My eyes fly open at her words and I lift my head so that I can look into her eyes. I have long since stopped doubting Sookie. Her strength has surprised me at almost every turn since she started to recover. But it astonishes me that right away she thinks that I was forced to hit Karin; that she knows I could never, would never, hit any one of my children if I was given a choice.

"I failed her," I softly say. These are the words that I could not stop from invading my every thought for decades after it happened. Still, centuries later, it crosses my mind multiple times a day. It is something that I cannot escape. It is something that I do not deserve to.

"I don't think that's possible," Sookie says softly, yet strongly, like she truly believes what she is saying. And I find that very comforting, even if it is wrong.

"I did," I reiterate again. "I let my emotions win out. I allowed myself to be controlled by my emotions and that is why I hit Karin." I keep my voice relatively quiet because she is only inches from my face, but they are screaming inside my head, taunting me with the truth.

I am close enough to see something that looks like understanding flit across her eyes. It also dances across the bond. She may think she knows that this was a maker's command. But if it was only that simple, I may have been able to forgive myself. Karin may have been able to forgive me. 

But of course with my maker, nothing is ever simple.

"Do you want to tell me about it," she asks. She gives me credit for knowing how to help her after Bill attacked her in the trunk but she knows how to help me just as much, if not better. She knows not to push because that will quickly shut me down. But she also knows that if she waits for me to talk, she will probably be waiting a long time.

And for the first time since I explained it all to Pam, I want to talk about it. I need to talk about it. I know it is more than that though. I would not be telling just any old human on the street because the urge to talk about it hit me. It is Sookie I want to talk to about it. I want her to understand what happens when I allow myself to feel emotions.

"I had not heard from Appius for about a century before I felt comfortable making my own child. It was Karin's strength that drew me to her. It was so out of place for her time, making her underappreciated. I could appreciate her though. I saw the potential in her and knew that she was made for the life of a vampire. That was where her strength would be seen for what it is, not in a way to shame her and knock her down.

"Karin and I were left alone for a few decades. I taught her how to survive and she embraced this new life, never once looking back. She was now in a world where she was no longer told she should not pick up a weapon but one where she was constantly being challenged to just that. Though she was upset when I told others to go easy on her as she practiced. I was the only one I trusted to not hurt her," I say my voice trailing off.

I clear my throat before starting again not knowing if I will be able to start again if I stop. "I was just starting to think we were safe. I had plans on showing Karin other countries before picking one to settle in for a bit. I wanted it to be her choice, somewhere she would like to spend a few years. Just when we were about to leave, Appius called me to him.

"Not wanting to introduce him to Karin, I told her to wait for me with some other vampires that I trusted, that I knew would keep her safe until I could meet up with her again." I pause not exactly knowing how to continue. It is Sookie who says, "That didn't last long did it."

I shake my head, though she can probably already figure out what happened next. "Appius did not hide his disappointment in me for not bringing Karin when he called me. He lashed out at me immediately and demanded that I call her to me. I begged him to wait until the next evening. I told him it was because there was not enough of the evening left for her to get to us safely. Truthfully, I was trying to find a way out of bringing her before him.

"Appius conceded that there was not enough time left for Karin to get to where I met him before sunrise. I thought since he was allowing that perhaps he had changed. He had not though. He only wanted to ensure that he could use Karin for the last lesson he taught me." I close my eyes and lean my head on Sookie's shoulder as the memories from night come rolling back over me. "As it turns out, I am happy that she was not there that night to see what happened."

Sookie's arms come around my neck again and hold me tight. She is fully aware of what Appius would have done to me that night. He did like his men. A shiver runs through me as the memories crash into me but that only makes Sookie hold on to me tighter. My voice shakes as I continue, "He made me call her to me. I tried to fight it but he was insistent on meeting her and pointed out that there was more than enough time for him to hunt her down, as he would have been able to feel her through me. Knowing that he would take his anger at me out on her if I did not listen to him, I called to her.

"She came not having any reason to resist my call. Appius introduced himself and I could see in her eyes when she realized that this would not simply be her meeting my maker. No, I saw and felt from her when she understood the situation. I felt the panic in her when Appius commanded me to torture her, knowing that I would not have a choice in the matter."

Feeling her panic and emotions had almost been strong enough for me to block out the pain caused by not immediately following my makers command. My memories go back to that night, seeing the pleading look in her face, feeling her begging me to be strong enough to fight.

She did not realize what would happen if I did. I should have seen it coming.

I lay down on the bed, not able to even support myself with sitting on it as my memories weigh me down. I do not pull Sookie down with me, but she immediately follows me down, curling into my side. I explain to her that I immediately felt the weight of his command. "I was desperate, however to prove that a maker's command was not final, that I would not have to torture my child."

"He proved you wrong, didn't he?"

"Not exactly," I tell her in a voice that is barely there. Her hand starts to stroke my chest and I focus on that movement as I take a breath that is unnecessary as I start to tell her the rest of the story.

"I fought it for hours, using all of my strength and concentration. It brought me to the floor and it was all that I could do to make sure that I would not strike my child. But what I fought against, Appius did with a laugh. All my energy was going towards not being the one to hit her, not being the one to hurt her. I did not have anything left to stop him from doing just that.

"It was when he started talking, taunting her as he was hitting her, saying she was not good enough, not strong enough to be part of his bloodline that I lost it. In that second I lost focus and went to lunge for him. But it was not him that I hit." I do not even realize that my hands have tightened around the comforter until Sookie gently puts her hand on mine and starts to rub them with her thumb.

When I start talking again, it is even more quietly. "The second I hit her, Appius lifted the command having gotten what he wanted. It was the last lesson he taught me. As I was lying there trying to offer comfort to Karin, my child that I had just struck, he sat there explaining what he wanted me to learn from the situation. Me striking Karin was a direct result of my emotions, of feeling my emotions. The anger that I felt at him saying my child was not worthy, that is when I lost my concentration and was no longer able to fight his command. I lost myself then. He had long before beat into me the importance of not feeling emotions. Well, in case I doubted his first lessons that night, I learned what happens when you let your emotions takeover." I turn my head so that I can see Sookie's face, knowing that I would be seeing tears streaming down her face from the scent of them in the air. But it is not pity that is causing her tears to fall. She is crying because she is hurt, that I am hurt.

"He let us leave after that, having had made his point. Karin was not well enough to travel by sea and I did not know if she would make the trip if I flew us either. We were stuck in that country with him and I awoke every night worried that he would call me back, call us both to him again. I was tempted to simply release Karin, to be able to put more distance between the two of them but she begged me not to. She said that feeling me was what she was clinging to while she was recovering. She must have been happy to feel my guilt.

"She allowed me to take care of her, to nurse her back to health. It took several months as she suffered silver poisoning and was still relatively young. She stayed for another month after she was healed, probably to ensure there were no lasting effects. But one night when I came back from feeding she was gone. She had left, not being able to stand to be with me, the one that should have never harmed her."

As I finish my tale, Sookie takes my head in her hands and brings my head down to her chest. She runs fingers through my hair and she takes a breath, getting ready to say something but it is not her voice that says, "That's not why Karin left you."

**Pam POV**

As I finish my phone call, I make my way back to Eric's room where I know he and Sookie still are. I am thankful that Sookie allowed me to rest besides my maker for the day. His comfort was something I really needed last night. It should figure though that the two days I have shared a bed with the little telepath I was in no condition to actually enjoy it.

Pity.

Eric's words reach me as I walk towards his room. I stop in the doorway, not wanting to interrupt the two. This is something Sookie to needs to hear to better understand Eric's stance on things like emotion. I have heard this fucking story before. In fact, I have heard it painfully twice, once from Eric and once from Karin. Though the main ideas are basically the same, the details are grossly conflicting between the two and that is something that Eric has never believed.

I stay standing in the doorway listening to Eric share this story with Sookie. If it was another human Eric was sharing this with I may be concerned however, I know hearing this will change nothing for her. I know she will see through Eric's version and understand what the rest of us see about the situation. And I am hopeful that she can get through to him where we have failed, where I have failed.

So I was willing to sit back and let her handle it. But I can't after Eric says that, that Karin left because of the pain he had caused her. The pain in his voice, the pain he is feeling with that thought is not something that I can ignore. After all these years, these decades, these centuries he still thinks that. And that alone almost kills me, faster than a stake to the heart would.

Eric and Sookie sit up when they hear my voice. Eric was so trapped in his story that he didn't even know I was here. "That's not why she left," I repeat to him, hoping that this will be the night when it all sinks in for him.

"It had to have been. Her pain; she could barely look at me afterwards."

That's another part of the story that was similar. It's true that it was difficult for Karin to be in Eric's presence after this all happened. But again, the details of why it was so difficult well, that is one more place where the details get a little muddled. I am quickly over to the bed so that Eric can not only feel the truth coming from me but also so I am close enough for him see the truth in my face. "Eric, she knew the pain it caused you. She knew that you tortured yourself over what happened. She knows that though she never once blamed you for anything that happened, you placed the blame solely on yourself instead of the one actually responsible for it."

I don't say who. I don't have to say who. I know and I'm sure Sookie knows where the blame really lies. And looking at Eric, I think this is the closest he's ever been to actually acknowledging where it lies himself. Not willing to lose this chance I tell him, "Karin called me tonight, Eric. She was concerned after you called her last night to make sure she was not hurt. She wanted to make sure that you were okay. That's where her concern was."

"It is misplaced."

"Eric," I start but he is having none of that. "No," he says loudly getting off the bed.

"We have been here before, Pam," he tells me. "The bottom line is that if I had remained in control of my emotions, if I had managed to keep my anger in check, I never would have struck Karin."

"And what good would that have done, Eric," I ask him allowing my voice to show my anger at the situation. "She wouldn't have been hit by you, but Appius still had a few hours of night left. You think he would have just stopped before he got exactly what he wanted."

"I hated every hit he applied to her body. I felt every injury. I felt all of her pain. I should have been the one to take away her pain. I should have been the one to make sure that she felt no pain. Instead, I contributed to it and I do not blame her for leaving."

I take his head between my hands and force him to look at me. "She didn't leave because of her pain, Eric. She left because of yours." And suddenly he was looking at me on his own accord, my hands unneeded to hold up his head. I keep them firmly on his face though as I continue to explain, "She felt it, Eric. She felt your pain at what had happened to her. She felt the blame that you placed solely on your shoulders. She left because she thought it would be better for you to not have a nightly reminder of what happened. She didn't want to leave you, she didn't. But she thought it would be best for you."

Eric opens his mouth, but closes it again. He sits down on the bed and places his head in his hands. "She should have hated me."

"She didn't Eric. She doesn't."

"I hated myself for a long time after that."

"Your blame was, still is, misplaced," I tell him.

"Not to me," he says sullenly.

"You feel my love for you," Sookie says suddenly. "Do you deny that I love you?"

"No," he says quickly and the truth of that statement can be clearly heard in his voice.

"You know that I love you. You have made me so very happy. You have seen me angry. Eric you have seen me feel all of these emotions. I learned not to keep them buried. I learned let them through. You taught me that is what's important when you wanted me to get help for my past. I want to feel them. Does that make me weak? Does that make me a failure?"

Eric looks disgusted at her words as he harshly shakes his head, stands up again, and loudly says, "No! Your emotions drive you. They make you fierce. They give you strength."

Sookie takes his hands in hers and raises them up to her lips and kisses them. "So how can my emotions make me strong but your emotions make you weak?"

"I am a vampire," he says, his words losing some of their strength.

"How about Pam then," the little telepath says bringing her attention to me. "Pam, do you love Eric?"

"I do," I say without hesitation and his eyes shoot at me. It is something that I have never told him, but not because I didn't feel it. It was only because I didn't think he could handle it. One, he was so sure that vampires couldn't feel emotion. Two, he didn't feel like he could be loved, didn't feel as though he was worthy of it. Sookie has managed to show him what I have been trying to for more than two centuries.

"Do you think she is weak?"

"No," he says and the truth in his voice is something that brings tears to my eyes. He looks straight into my eyes. I hope that it is understanding I finally see in his. "You are the opposite of weak. You showed much strength in your human life and the strength only grew when you became a vampire," he says talking to me as he answers Sookie's question instead of to her. The tears that started to build in my eyes start to burn as I hold them back. But I can no longer stop them from falling as he kisses my head and says quietly, "And in this case as in many others, you have proven to be stronger than me."

I close my eyes as he releases me from his hold thinking that we just may have gotten through to him. But he still says, "But it was when I let my anger take control, that's when I hurt her." But there is a question in his voice and for the first time he does not seem sure about his beliefs any longer.

And I want to make sure his old, incorrect beliefs go right out the window.

I start to open my mouth but it's Sookie's voice that says, "You were burying your anger Eric," as she holds his hands in hers. "You found out what happens when you bury your emotions. When you hide them and you try not to feel them. You can't keep them buried forever and they will eventually explode. That's when you lose control."

Eric stays quiet and I can feel his emotions though the bond and I am not surprised that they are all over the place. Sookie logically just argued against what he had been thinking was true for centuries. The two of us watch as Eric takes in her words and is seemingly thinking them over. I can clearly see that his first response is to again argue. But he doesn't and that gives me the hope that Sookie has done what I have failed to do for hundreds of years.

Sookie, seeing the potential progress she has made continues to talk. "Emotions aren't always fun and games, Eric. They can make you incredibly happy but it's true that they have the ability to hurt you. But we need to feel them, Eric. We need to let them out. When we don't they just build and build and that is when people can get hurt in the crossfire."

I can see all the thoughts pass through Eric's eyes and then watch as the emotions expand upon his face, which is not something he allows often. He goes to say something but looks between Sookie and I and rethinks whatever it was that he was going to say. After another minute he says, "You know, for the longest time I took that final lesson from my maker to be true. It is something that I carried with me through the centuries as something to never forget. And because of it, I simply existed with very little joy in my life because what was the point?"

I get nervous at his rhetorical question worrying that maybe Sookie's words hadn't sunk in as well as I thought they did. "But I can no longer say that," he says and I am filled with hope. "During the last few months, I have felt more joy than in the months before combined. I have learned what the point was. I have felt more than I ever had. You taught me how," he says indicating to Sookie. "You helped me to understand what was missing from my life. You helped me to understand what I have been feeling from Pam, almost since she rose as Vampire. You both have been trying to show me, trying so hard to teach me. And I do not know why I was clinging to the false lessons of my past, but I am hoping the two of you will continue to show me how wrong they were."

Sookie immediately takes him into her arms and I hear her whispering, "I love you," softly into his ear. I am trying to wipe the tears from my eyes but Sookie is having none of that and pulls me into their embrace, just like the one shared the previous night in Eric's office.

Except Thalia isn't here to run into my back. And I find myself missing that.

As I stand there holding onto my maker and to this little part human that wormed her way into our lives I smile, as I have never felt what I am feeling now from Eric. For the first time since me made me, he feels at peace and that is all that I want for him. As I hear Sookie sniffle however, I find that I will not be at peace if any of her snot gets on my clothes, or in my hair. When I say that out loud, I feel a hand hit the back of my head.

And it wasn't my maker as he is quickly across the room getting tissues for Sookie.

Before I can say anything, a sound suddenly moves through the room, and it seems to come from the little part-fairy. She pats her stomach and says, "Well, this human needs to eat."

"I'll put something together for you," I offer. Okay, so I may have a plan when I offer. They both look shocked at my words, but I ignore their looks and turn and start to walk out of the room. "I have got to see this," Eric says and I can hear them both start to follow me into the kitchen, which may have been part of my plan.

"Breakfast," I offer when I get into the kitchen and see what we have. The pancake mix looks like it will serve my purposes. Sookie shrugs and says that if I am cooking she's not going to be picky.

I follow the instructions and add eggs and milk to the dry powder that comes in a box. I am in the middle of stirring when I 'accidentally' lose control of the spoon and a spoonful of the now wet mixture goes flying through the air.

And lands directly on my maker's face. Payback for the roll.

"You did that on purpose," he says as he wipes it off his face. I simply shrug but am not surprised when I feel much of the glob I threw at Eric hit the back of my head as I turn around. Quickly, I throw another bit of the mix at Eric while throwing some of the dry mix at Sookie.

Okay, it may have been more than some.

"You didn't," she sputters sending the white powder through the air as she speaks causing Eric to laugh, which may have been my secret goal of this whole endeavor. The pain of feeling and emotions is weighing heavily on him right now but I don't want him to forget the good that comes along with allowing yourself to feel.

"What are you going to do about it," I ask her and give her a bit of a wink.

I am surprised for a second as she turns on the water for the sink but understand her motives completely as she grabs the hose and I find myself a tad wet from the water that I was not able to dodge.

And there's no turning back after that.

Sookie stays by the hose at first using that as her weapon while Eric goes to the fridge and takes out the eggs. I really didn't think this through too much as three eggs hit me square on the head. Sookie and Eric team up on me at first. That is until Sookie finds herself with a little egg on her head as well.

After that, it's every man for himself.

I do save a little of the mix, after all Sookie does need to eat, but barely anything else in the kitchen is spared. When I hear the door open, I don't think much of it, as the scent of the vampire coming through is one of the other two Eric has given access to his home.

Thalia slowly walks into the doorway of the kitchen and takes in the scene. There is human food all over the place, and all over us. She looks up at us after looking around the kitchen and says, "I don't want to know."

I hear the sound of it moving through the air right before the egg cracks right on Thalia's forehead. How it managed to survive until now I do not know. What I do know is we all fall silent as we take in the look on Thalia's face. To quote Sookie, she is not a happy camper. But a smile appears on her face and she is soon laughing, which gets Sookie to laugh, which sets off Eric's laugh.

And seeing my maker happy after everything that had happened, well that has me laughing.

**Hello dear readers. Thanks for reading and I do hope you enjoyed this chapter as we learned a bit more about Eric's past and just why he is wary of feeling certain emotions. We have had this title before but as it signified a big turning point for Sookie in Amnesia, this is a big turning point for Eric. Let's just hope he turns the right way, shall we? ;)**

**Thanks again for reading. **


	7. Love Somebody

_But if I fall for you, I'll never recover_

_If I fall for you, I'll never be the same_

_I really wanna love somebody_

_I really wanna dance the night away_

_I know we're only half way there_

_But you can take me all the way, you can take me all the way_

_I really wanna touch somebody_

_I'll think about you every single day_

_I know we're only half way there_

_But you can take me all the way, you can take me all the way_

_Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh_

_I don't know where to start, I'm just a little lost_

_I wanna feel like we never gonna ever stop – Maroon 5_

**Sookie POV**

That conversation I had with Eric was a difficult one, no question about it. I found that it was more difficult than talking through my own past and issues. I've been dealing with, or not dealing with as I learned, my pain for years. My pain is what I could handle; it was second nature to me. I wore it like my skin. But seeing and hearing Eric's pain, the pain of someone that I love very much well as he explained an event that had broken a piece of him, that damn near broke my heart.

But it was seeing him after he spoke with Karin on the phone that actually broke my heart. I know I've always seen a different side of him than how he has to behave when dealing from vampire politics, but he still always seem to be so strong. Even when he was telling me what happened with Karin, he muscled his way through it, working hard to keep his emotion in.

And now I have a better understanding of why. It was another one of his bastard of a maker's lessons, and I am going to be sure to break him of it.

After he spoke with Karin though, he looked like a lost, little boy. I could understand why. Hearing and realizing something you believe is true is anything but, turns your world upside down. For nearly two decades, I had thought that I had dealt with and was over what had happened to me only to find out that I had not and I was not. Eric had much more time than a few decades of believing the bullshit his maker had him believing and I knew that in the Supe world Eric would have dealt with much more than I had. I'm not entirely sure what he talked about with Karin, as he didn't feel much like talking the rest of the evening, but I was happy that he did. Doing so will help him start healing from this horrible event. And as I am sure this is one of the worst events to Eric, as it was about his hurt child, I am hoping it will lead to other healing as well. So Eric didn't talk too much after speaking with Karin; he really just wanted to hold me instead, which I was more than happy with.

Even if it meant that I had to hear Pam grumbling about cleaning the kitchen. Well, she did start it. But it's a good thing she did. It was something we all needed at the time. Besides, Thalia helped her clean the kitchen. With vampire speed it was dine in minutes. Meanwhile, I'm still not sure if I'd managed to get all the ketchup, flour, and egg out of my hair.

I called Ludwig during the day to talk about what happened. I didn't go into too much detail, not wanting to betray Eric's confidence, but I wanted to make sure I stayed strong enough to be able to help him. Everyone keeps telling me that I have come a long way and I see it, but as we are approaching mid-February, it's still only been a few months, a few long, damn months. Seeing Eric in so much pain shook me and I wanted to make sure I am able to help him through this.

When I woke up the afternoon after Eric explained what happened, I took note of the two vampires still in the bed. Pam had wanted to rest with Eric again after everything. I know that this time it was more for his comfort than it was for hers. After kissing the head of both vampires still in the bed, I made it up the stairs and called the tiny doctor. I would have much rather discussed this with Pam, but didn't want to bring more pain to her. I just wanted to make sure I had control over my pain so I wouldn't fall apart at Eric's. And talking to her did help, however blunt she happens to be.

She did help me realize that feeling hurt at Eric's pain did not mean that I would start a downhill cycle. My natural response of hurting because someone I loved was hurting does not have to mean I will retreat to that spot in my head. Instead, she called it progress. In hearing Eric's story, I never once thought of my own pain. My focus was all about him. According to the small doctor, that was a good thing.

And the few days since I had talked to her proved that.

Octavia and Amelia had come back last night from New Orleans. They went straight to Fangtasia to check on the wards. Nothing felt off to Octavia and she said the magic holding them was still strong. So we didn't exactly understand why the still unknown vampire set off the alarms. Octavia's best guess is that the magic of the wards possibly picked up on the magic of the maker's command. The intention of the command was one to hurt. If her magic can pick that up, it's not exactly something that we would be complaining about.

Eric has a few more things he hoped the witches can help with, but he told them to simply rest tonight. After working for the Queen, traveling down to Shreveport, and using magic, they could have used the rest, Octavia especially. And she probably chose to rest. I am not thinking about where Pam may have gone with a glint in her eye a half hour after getting a call from Amelia. I am also not going to think about what it meant when Eric couldn't get a hold of Tray for two hours after that.

Nope, my mind is not going there.

So tonight we are heading back to Fangtasia for the first time since Eric's lookalike child showed up. We hadn't gone with Octavia and Amelia the night before but Thalia and Felicia had. He hasn't wanted to go back there since. He hasn't wanted to do much of anything since. He was talking to me and to Pam though, which was good. He also has been speaking to Karin, which is fantastic. It's something that they both could use after what they have been through. I know from Pam that Karin is eager to see Eric and hopefully that is something that can happen soon.

The car ride over to Fangtasia is anything but a quiet one and that is exactly what we need. Sure, we are pretty much just talking nonsense and laughing at our nonsensical selves but after the last few days, it just feels good. That is until Eric recognizes Cataliades' car in the Fangtasia parking lot. That got our car a bit quiet and I see Eric look at me through the rearview mirror. I let Pam have the front seat. Ok, more like she nearly knocked me down using her vamp speed beating me to the front seat. Eric caught me before I fell though and was sure to give me a thorough apology in place of his child.

I have nothing against the demon lawyer. He actually seems kind of nice and Eric seems to trust him well, as much as Eric trusts anyone anyway. I'm just afraid that he's going to bring bad news.

I give Eric a half smile and a shrug and start to get out of the car, but he's at my door before I can get it open all the way. Felicia comes out and lets us know the lawyer has been here since the sun set waiting for us, just sitting in his car.

There goes my wish for a quiet evening.

Eric sends me inside with Felicia and Pam while he heads towards Cataliades' car. I know even with the crazy security Eric put in place after the shooting, he still doesn't like us to linger outside. I feel the same way, which is why I am happy when I'm not even in his office for a minute before he comes in with Cataliades following behind. The lawyer takes a seat and is the only one of the three of us that looks calm in the room.

"Nice to see you again, Mr. Cataliades," I say. It might be a borderline lie, but Gran would have my hide if I were anything but polite. He, after all, has done nothing to me.

And hopefully it would stay that way.

"I wish you truly meant that Miss Stackhouse," he says back to me, seemingly reading my mind. "And please, feel free to call me Desmond."

I nod not knowing if I'll be able to do that. As my grandfather's friend, in another world I may have grown up with him in my life and feel more comfortable calling him that. But that is not the world I grew up in. We will have to wait to see how it goes.

When he doesn't say anything else right away, Eric asks him if he is here on behalf of the Queen or Niall. "Would you believe it if I said both," he responds with a bit of a grimace on his face.

That can't be good.

"What does Sophie-Anne want," Eric asks, though I already have a good idea and I'm sure Eric does too. My thoughts prove to be correct when Cataliades explains that Sophie-Anne would like to use my telepathy on the humans that worked for Threadgill. She wants to know who she can trust and to see if I can learn anything about who may really be in charge. Glamour apparently hasn't been working but questioning humans under glamour can be tricky. They could simply be not asking the right questions. "Is there a reason why she is asking through you? She has not before," Eric says.

"A sign of good faith after what you have done for her. She doesn't want it to necessarily be seen as a command."

"But she will make it one if we refuse," Eric says. The lawyer's silence says it all. "I will call her with a response before sun rise." As Cataliades nods Eric asks about what Niall wants.

"He agrees to meet you, both of you tomorrow night."

I feel a little jolt of anger at that and I'm really not sure where it came from. I don't have time to think about that though as Eric asks, "Tomorrow night?" He is obviously not happy about it but for the life of me, I can't figure out why. It doesn't really sound like he is opposed to meeting Niall but the actual day of the proposed meeting.

"It's okay if you don't want to come, Eric," I tell him, trying to make my voice sound like it's really okay. I don't think I succeed though as he is quickly at my side and says, "I will be wherever you need me to be. You want me there and I will be there." I press a kiss to his lips for his words.

"I don't suppose we could reschedule," I say, still not liking that Eric is upset about meeting him tomorrow night.

"It would not be recommended," Cataliades says. I ignore the threat that implies. I know it isn't coming from him and I would like to think my great grandfather wouldn't threaten me as well, but I have learned that Supes do things very differently.

I look to Eric who gives me a slight nod before telling the lawyer that I will meet Niall tomorrow night. He names a restaurant that I don't recognize but Eric nods so he must know it. Cataliades says goodnight and leaves Eric's office. My vampire doesn't escort the lawyer out this time and I am not sure how to take that.

I do however, get pulled down into said vampire's lap as soon as the door is closed and we are alone in his office. I sink into his chest for minute just enjoying being held. "You know, you really don't have to come tomorrow," I start before he cuts me off with a finger on my mouth.

"I will be there with you," he says and his voice lets me know there is no room for questioning. As much as I was willing to let him off the hook if he wanted it, I am glad he's still willing to come with me. "We do need to talk about the Queen," he says.

"I didn't think there was much to talk about. Do we really have a choice?"

"We have a choice," he tells me. "Just not a good one if we want to keep the peace." Yeah, that's kind of what I expected.

"I don't mind, Eric. I wish I didn't have to but if it helps to keep us safe, I'll do it."

"I hate that you have to do this."

I do too. Definitely wasn't a perk, that's for sure. But I meant what I said. Helping Sophie-Anne could help keep Louisiana safe, which would help keep those I love safe. I may not like it, but for their protection, I will do it.

Eric presses a kiss to my temple before assuring me he will make sure we don't have to spend the night in New Orleans. With so much still unknown, it's important we are safe.

"I have some work I need to do before I head out to the bar tonight," he says. I'm sure after being at home the last few nights, he does have plenty to catch up on. "Would you like to stay and keep me company," he asks, wiggling his eyebrows.

"Oh no," I tell him with a smile on my face, starting to get off his lap. "If I stay in here then you will be getting no work done."

"And the issue with that is," he asks with a smirk, lifting up one eyebrow.

"The issue is, then we won't get home early enough to really have some fun where tons of vampires can't hear us," I say softly before giving his neck a kiss and starting to walk out of his office.

"That is just cruel," he says as I give him a bit of a wiggle on my way out, laughing as I shut the door.

I make it out to the bar not surprised to find it crowded, even though it is still relatively early for a vampire bar. Eric being back after being away usually attracts them because everyone wants to be the one to see him again first. I take a seat at the bar in a spot that's out of the way so hopefully I won't have to deal with too many of his admirers. Dealing with their thoughts is hard enough.

A drink is suddenly in front of me and I look up to see Thalia smiling. Usually, I would say that Thalia smiling is a good thing, a great thing even. But when it accompanies her sliding me a drink, it's probably not too good for me.

At the look I give her she shrugs and says, "What else are you going to do?"

And at that moment, a particularly vivid though, or I should say someone else's vivid thought comes across my mind that has me reaching for the drink and downing it in one shot. Thalia must have taken that as a sign because she keeps the drinks coming after that.

**Eric POV**

I can feel the smile on my face as I hang up the phone. I like that talking with Karin now brings a smile to my face rather than the rush of guilt simply thinking of her used to bring. I, like most other parents I would imagine, think she deserves more. She did not deserve to be in that situation in the first place.

But I am coming to learn that neither did I.

I had been focusing on the wrong lesson, the wrong things all along. I had managed to teach my children the right lessons, never once applying them to myself, never seeing myself worthy of them. Pam had never made me feel unworthy but she is my child and to an extent I felt she could not be trusted in that fact because she has always been a loyal child. But enter an adorable little part-fairy in my life and everything has been upside since, in all the best ways.

It took Sookie to make me understand what Pam had been trying to get me to see all along. Sookie owed me nothing so having her support what Pam has been saying practically since I made her vampire, was a real eye-opener.

And it is just one more thing I am thankful she has done for me.

I let out a sigh of relief when I am finally done with all the paperwork. It was more than usual, missing the last few nights but I was glad for the time off. It is not exactly easy finally realizing that something you thought for centuries is not true. Even though finally understanding what truly happened is a very good thing, I got sent into a tailspin of sorts. I have been going through all of my other memories, especially those dealing with Appius to see what else have I missed. When else had I fully believed his worlds, giving him the benefit of the doubt?

Because I am starting to believe he doesn't deserve it anymore, that despite being my maker he never actually deserved it.

But I have had enough of those thoughts. I have spent the last few nights with those thoughts making Sookie, Pam, and even Thalia stuck with those thoughts for the last few nights as well. We deserve a night off.

So I make my way out to the bar to do my mandatory face showing, hoping to get out of here relatively quickly, especially with Sookie's words to me earlier. But my plans are waylaid when I get out to the bar area. The sight I see stops me in my tracks. It brings a smile to my face. Sookie is bouncing around the bar with the beat of the music, looking as happy as ever. So I take a seat on my throne that Pam insists on keeping and simply watch her. It soon becomes clear by her movements that Thalia has had her taste testing again tonight.

That could be why it takes her a little longer than it usually would to notice that I am out here. Usually, she glances my way right away, as if she could somehow feel me and perhaps she could with her telepathy. With our bond not yet complete, she culd not be feeling me through that. Tonight though it takes her a few minutes and I am not complaining about that as it allows me to just take her all in. And that is exactly what I need right now after the last few nights.

My smile gets bigger though when she does notice me in the room, because her smile gets bigger. Her entire face lights up and I am again amazed that I can bring out that much excitement in anyone, let alone in someone as wonderful as Sookie. But I have finally decided that I am not going to question it any longer. No, instead I will simply enjoy it.

My arm wraps around her waist as she comes over and wraps her arms around my neck. She places a kiss to my cheek, but my arm tightens around her waist as she tries to pull away, not letting her. I nuzzle her hair before placing a few soft kisses along her neck. "Having fun," I ask her.

I can feel her nod against me as she says, "Yes. But I would have even more if someone would dance with me."

And with that, my smile falters. I know both Sookie and I are happy that here, barring any unfortunate circumstances, we can simply be ourselves. Most of the time, I am the high man on the totem pole so there is no reason to put on an act. But for the vampires under me to see me dancing, the possible repercussions of that is not something I want to deal with on top of everything else.

"And there is nothing more than I would rather do right now than dance with you. You do not know how sorry that I am that my station does not allow that," I tell her softly. She looks like she is about to argue but does not say a word, though I am sure she has plenty to say. "You should continue to dance though," I tell her not wanting to ruin her night. I tell her that there are plenty of vampires here that would dance with her.

"They'll get handsy," she says nipping at my ear. I am not sure if the growl that leaves me appears because of the nip or the idea of another's hands on her.

"We definitely cannot have that," I tell her. Though I doubt anyone here would touch her knowing that she is mine, I do not want to make her uncomfortable. "Pam can dance with you."

"She'll be the most handsy of them all."

"Yes but she knows where not to put her hands," I say rubbing her through her pants, showing her that I know just where to put my hands.

"Hmm," she hums. "Or I could just stay here."

"No," I tell her releasing her from my grip. "You go have fun dancing. We will have fun later," I say. Though I would have no problem taking her back to my office for said fun, I know that she would not appreciate it after the alcohol wears off. With one last kiss to my lips, she leaves to join Pam out on the dance floor.

A few minutes after she leaves, Thalia comes over to me and I ask her how many drinks Sookie has had. "Six," she answers, which gets a glare from me. Six drinks in an hour is a bit much. "Only two of them had alcohol," she says with a bit of a smirk.

"Smart girl," I say to her and I get a little bow of her head.

We are silent for a few minutes but the fact that Thalia does not leave tells me she has something to say. "She would be having more fun out there if you were dancing with her," she finally says.

I watch Sookie and Pam dance. Pam is sure to keep anyone away without Sookie realizing allowing her to simply dance. "I know," I tell her. "I wish I could be out there with her.

"And why can't you?"

I start to explain to Thalia my worries and there are plenty. I cannot have vampires under me thinking that I have gone soft and trying to take advantage of the situation.

Thalia gets a disgusted look on her face. "What," I ask her.

"You don't seem like the type of vampire to let others dictate your life, to let fear dictate your life."

My immediate reaction is to launch into her about how fear has no role in my decision-making about this. But something in the back of my mind tells me that is not true. It is not easy for me to admit, but maybe I am letting fear factor in, and not just fear for her safety.

Appius has shown me in the past that my happiness means something bad is around the corner. Pam and Sookie have been the only exceptions. With Pam, my guilt from Karin was probably enough to hold him off for now. With Sookie, was I holding myself back from allowing myself to be one hundred percent happy with her because of fear? That is not good for me and that is not good for her.

But there is also something else.

"I will not be the same," I tell Thalia. "When," and I word it like that because I know the day is coming. "When I fall for her, life will not be the same. I will not be the same." It could not be. I was already so different because of her that when I do fall for her, I know I would change even more.

"You say that like it's a bad thing."

"It very well could be," I say thinking of everything that could go wrong. But for the first time in a long time, I think this is something that is worth the risk. I find myself wanting to fall for this little being that tore into my life like a tornado. And though I easily could say I want this, I want to be able to love Sookie, just to prove Appius wrong, that is not what is driving me. I want it for me. I want it for Sookie.

For the first time since I have become a vampire, I think it may just be possible.

Thalia nods before saying, "I have seen the bad that can come with it. But even if it would cancel out the bad, I would not give up the good that I had. I would not give up the happiness I had, the happiness we had together." She pauses before continuing, "You said when you fall for her. What if you already have? By denying your happiness, by denying her happiness, the only ones hurting are the two of you. And I don't understand what the point of that is," she says before starting to walk back to the bar.

I am not sure either.

**Sookie POV**

Though my dancing partner isn't my preferred one, I'm not going to complain too much. Tonight was exactly what was needed – a little decompression time for everyone. I know that though Eric wanted to take some time to go through what he had finally realized, he needed some time away from his thoughts. There would be plenty of time for him to come to terms with what he had discovered. I would make sure there was time for that. And for me dancing is always a plus. I think we could have done without the visit from Cataliades, but I couldn't hold that against the demon and it was not like anything he said was exactly unexpected.

Unfortunately, it was exactly what we had expected.

So, Pam though not exactly an unwelcomed dance partner but I would rather it be Eric. I would love to see him loosen up a bit and have some fun. He could definitely use it too. I know he has an image to uphold but these vampires respect him. He earned their respect and should be able to reap the benefits of that. Having a dance or two with a girlfriend, or however he would classify us, should be doable.

Much larger hands suddenly replace Pam's hands, which had been on my hips. I am surprised anyone got through Pam's defenses. Not many people can say that they have. I grab the hand and am about to push them harshly away, something I have become an expert with from pushing Pam's hands away, when I recognize the way they grasp onto my hands. I also recognize the hair that falls into my eyes as the owner of the new hands leans over me and whispers into my ear, "I am sorry you had to wait for me."

I do a little internal happy dance as I turn around as Eric's arms move around me and keep me moving to the music. "I'm just happy you're here now," I tell him moving forward and closing the gap between us. And I am. It feels like something has shifted between us in very good way. Over the past few days, Eric has really opened up and let me in. It's not like he was hiding anything before, but volunteering information, knowing that he trusts me that much, is something that has been really good for me. And of course, the biggest benefit is that it has been awesome for him as well.

So, I am feeling a great thing. I press a kiss to my vampire's lips, I tell him that I love him, and continue to dance the night away with my vampire.

**Hello dear readers. I hope that you have enjoyed this chapter as we get a little bit more of what's going on inside of Eric and Sookie's heads. Plus advice from Thalia is always good and Eric having some more little breakthroughs is great. Thanks for taking the time to read. I appreciate all those taking the time to review as well.**

**And maybe the last episode of TB won't be a complete disappointment. One can hope! **


	8. FNT

_Fascinating new thing_

_Get beside me,_

_I want you to love me_

_I'm surprised that you've never been told before_

_That you're lovely and you're perfect_

_And that somebody wants you_

**Sookie POV**

I sigh as I drink my fifth cup of coffee this afternoon and return to staring out the window of the kitchen. I didn't get much sleep last night, or this morning, or this afternoon. There were a few reasons for that but only one of them currently has me complaining.

I'm certainly not complaining about Eric dancing with me last night. There are no words that can describe how that simple yet complicated act made me feel. Such a stark difference than the last time I wish he could dance with me when I was using my telepathy at Elena's bar. What made it that much better was the look he had on his face throughout the rest of the night last night. He had never looked so free before and it was yet another look that I was going to make sure was on his face plenty more times.

Nor was I going to complain about what had happened once we got back home. Luckily, dancing with Eric had served well as foreplay because we were barely in the house before Eric was in me. Vampire speed could be a very good thing.

But even then with him needing to rest at dawn I still would have had plenty of time to sleep. No, the current reason for my exhaustion unfortunately is my worry over what meeting Niall would bring and that is what I am complaining about.

I would like to think that a family member would mean no harm. Well, I know for a fact that is not a certainty. I also know that Supes play by their own set of rules. I do not know what Niall wants with me. He could just want to see me then vanish into thin air never to be heard from again. He may want to be a part of my life. None of those would be particularly bad things.

But of course it was the bad things that had me worrying.

Niall could bring more threats either directly or indirectly. That is something that is never needed but would be especially bad now since we already have a pretty long list of threats against us at the moment, most of which are still unknown. Dealing with those my great-grandfather may throw into the mix would make everything more difficult and dangerous.

All of these thoughts I have had before but now that I am hours away from meeting him, they seem to have taken up a permanent residence in my mind. Am I making a huge mistake here by meeting him? Am I bringing more danger into our lives? I bring my knees up on the chair and lay my head on them, wishing the answer was simple.

I must be lost deeper in my thoughts than I knew because I don't even know the sun has set until Eric takes the coffee cup out of my hand and refills it for me. As he hands it back to me he asks, "Have you slept at all?" A tight smile is all I give him. "I will call Niall. We can reschedule to another night."

As he gets up, I grab onto his hand surprised at his words. "You can contact Niall," I ask him and he nods in response. "Then why did we have to go through Cataliades before?"

Eric sits back down and says, "Niall can be a very hard person to contact at times, especially with vampires. The one time I tried to contact him, it took months to get a response. The lawyer offered a faster route. If I call him, I will not get him directly but since it is something pertaining to tonight, someone would get him the message." He pauses before adding that he would have contacted the Fae prince if that was what I wanted.

"I don't know if that was what I wanted," I say to him. "I hadn't even really thought about it." That's the truth and I can't even blame the fact that there hadn't been much time for anything in the last few months, though that did play a role. I hadn't really wanted to think about it. Maybe part of me was still in denial about an affair of my grandmother's bringing about a whole nother family. If I didn't acknowledge it, it didn't happen. And that may just be another conversation I need to have with someone. Pam this time though.

"Do you want to meet him," Eric asks. I know last night he didn't seem too eager to but I still get the impression that his issue is not just simply meeting him, but meeting him tonight. I will have to ask him about that at some point.

I think about his question before answering it, having all my thoughts from earlier just swimming around in my head. If I didn't meet him, the best that could happen is that I would always be wondering what would happen if I did, ultimately what had he wanted. Worst-case scenario is he would make sure to see me, knocking down anything in his path.

"I don't know about wanting to meet him," I answer honestly. "But I will. At least then we will know what we are dealing with." I am about to again tell him he doesn't have to come tonight but he must sense something because he silences me with a kiss before I can even think about getting the words out.

"I am coming," he says when he pulls back, allowing me to breath. "That has never been in question," he says, nipping at my lips before letting me go. "We have to leave in 45 minutes."

"I should go get ready then," I say standing up. I was still in my pajamas, maybe hoping that sleep would somehow find me again. I make my way upstairs, take a quick shower and put on a very simple dress. I am standing in the mirror getting started on my hair, when suddenly I can see Eric's reflection in the mirror. Taking the brush out of my hand he starts to work it through my hair. After all the knots are out, he starts to works his fingers against my scalp before starting to braid my hair. "You've done this for me before," I tell him, remembering when he did my hair the night we met with Sophie-Anne and Threadgill.

"I remember," he says as he ties the end so it will stay. His hands wrap around me from behind and I wrap my arms with his. His thumb finds my wrist where his marks are and starts to gently move across them. I close my eyes as the warmth that always spreads through me when he does so makes an appearance. "I do not do it enough."

"You do more than enough for me."

I feel him press a kiss to the back of my head but his phone rings before anything else can be said. Taking it out of his pocket he tells me that it's Russell before picking up the call. He unwraps his arms from around me but stays in the bathroom as I finish getting ready. I can tell by the conversation that something has happened but I can't figure out what it is. It's not a long conversation and when it is done, Eric leans against the counter with his arms. His position shows just how he feels after that phone call.

He's definitely not feeling the best.

I wrap my arms around him and he leans into me. "The vampire that we sent to Russell has seemed to be cooperating with him," he says.

"She's probably upset with her maker as much as we are."

"Yes, and she is frustrated that she cannot give us more information."

"Has Russell gotten anything from her?"

He nods and says, "That is why he called. Through questioning and the ways she has come up with to communicate it would seem that she was made a vampire here in the United States."

I see the trouble with that right away. We have been going with the idea that the vampire responsible for everything is not based in the US. After tracing bank accounts and money trails it led us to believe that the one paying Threadgill was not on US soil. "This information could bring us back to square one. "

"Or it could mean that there are more involved than we first believed," Eric responds. Which could complicate things, much more than they already were.

As I finish putting on my makeup, Eric makes a phone call to Pam to let her know what was found out. Pam is going to call the Queen and update her on the situation. As if our night wasn't already complicated enough. I again offer to let Eric off the hook for tonight but he told me that it didn't matter what we were doing tonight but we would be doing it together.

I am quiet on the car ride over and Eric knows it's because I'm nervous. He does his best to get me to focus on anything else, to simply laugh, but I am too worried about what meeting Niall will mean for me. And for him.

When we walk into the restaurant, I let Eric take the lead as I realize this must be a Supe restaurant. It's filled with people but I can hear few thoughts clearly. There are some voids designating vampires and the tell tale sign of Weres but there are also minds that I have never heard before, letting me know that there are much more than humans, vampires, and Weres here. I don't miss the surprised face on the man who greets us when Eric says who we are here to meet. I guess even in a Supe restaurant it's rare for fairies and vampires to play nice.

I grab onto Eric's hand, as we are lead back to the table where we were told my great-grandfather is already waiting for us. As it becomes clear which table we are being led to, I take in the man sitting at it. Well, as much as I can at least since his back is to us. All I get so far is that he appears to be tall and has long, blond hair. He must sense or hear us though because as we get closer, he stands and turns toward us.

He moves to pull out a chair, for me I assume, but freezes when Eric's hand closes in on the top of the chair. The two of them stare at each other and I am very worried about what may happen for a few seconds. I put my hand on Eric's arm knowing that I have a better chance of getting through to him to try and diffuse the situation than my unknown great-grandfather. That's why I am shocked when Niall lets go of the chair as soon as my hand touches Eric's arm. Eric then proceeds to help me sit before the two males join me in sitting at the table.

This should be fun.

The table is silent, awkwardly so for a minute or two. "Well, we're here," I say, suddenly not able to take it anymore.

"That you are," Niall says with a smile. "Though I would have been happy to meet you without the additional company."

I shrug and tell him, "We're a package deal." At my words, Eric wraps his arm around my shoulder and a tension in me I didn't even know I was feeling leaves my shoulders as I lean into him.

"I can see that," he says, with an appraising look in his eyes as the waiter comes. We place our drink order but I haven't even looked at the menu yet. I'm not hungry, probably due to the fact that I've been so nervous, but the coffee is the only thing I've had since last night. When the waiter comes back with our drinks, I am ready to order. I get the chicken parmigiana. When I order Eric's arm tenses for a split second at my back before relaxing again. I'll have to ask him about that later.

Niall doesn't wait two seconds after the waiter leaves to ask me a question. And another one after that. Followed by a few more. But what those questions are, shocks me. He's asking about me, about my life like any relative would. It's like he's trying to get to know me. And I know it shouldn't completely erase the fears I have in meeting him, but I can't help but feel happy at his seemingly genuine attempt to get to know me. I have him laughing when I tell him a story about how angry Gran was at Jason after one of his adventures.

"I can introduce you to Jason, if you want," I offer to him. He seems eager to have a relationship with me and he probably would want one with Jason as well. But the look on his face tells me that just is not true.

He shakes his head, as if his facial expression wasn't enough in telling me that he has no desire to meet my brother. "Jason doesn't have the essential spark that you possess, my dear," he tells me.

I look at Eric not knowing what that means and the look on his face tells me that he's just as clueless as me. "Essential spark?"

He nods and tries to explain to me what it is. I don't feel like I have a great understanding of it when he is done though but that could be because it's really nothing physical or specific. Apparently it's more like being open to things, specifically the Supernatural.

"So I have this," I ask him. It would make sense I guess. I have always dreamed that there was more out there and as soon as vampires came out, I was eager to know all I could about them. I had always thought I was just happy to know that I wasn't the only 'oddball' out there. Maybe there was more to it though.

"Yes and so did your grandmother." That I didn't expect, though it could explain why she was more open to vampires when they came out than most others.

"That is why Fintan went to her," Eric says.

"It is," Niall confirms and so many thoughts run through my head at this point, but I decide to leave it. Cataliades told me that Fintan came to love my grandmother and my family very much. That is what I am choosing to think about my grandfather who will never get to explain his side of things to me.

"So my telepathy is due to this essential spark."

Niall's eyes narrow at that as he again shakes his head. "The ability to read minds is not a Fae trait." Well, there goes my explanation for that.

"But you won't meet Jason because he doesn't have it."

"Jason will not be as accepting as you are." I don't know about that. "Besides, he looks too much like my son Dermot," he adds with a sad look on his face.

"Fintan's brother," I ask.

Niall nods and says, "His twin."

That would make him my great uncle, however the excitement that I feel at having more family leaves me when I see Niall's face. Dermot obviously is a touchy subject for him. When he explains that Dermot has sided with his enemies, I can understand why. In his explanation, he does mention how Dermot choosing the enemy has been hard on the entire family. So due to my own curiosity and feeling a need to get the sad look off Niall's face I ask, "I have other family?"

"You do," he says with a smile. He explains to me that I have multiple family members in the Fae realm and my smile starts to falter. As much as I would like to meet more family there is no way that I am leaving…well, whatever it is this realm is called, to meet them.

"You do have two cousins that live not too far from here," he tells me bringing the smile back onto my face.

"I do?"

"Yes. In fact you would have met at least one of them already if not for the company that you've been keeping."

"What," I ask.

"Claudine is your fairy godmother," he says and I can't help but giggle a little bit at his words. He looks stern at me and then explains that she would help protect and guide me throughout my life.

"Well, she hasn't been doing the best job of that," I tell him.

"How could she," he responds. "You have been surrounding yourself with vampires. It would be dangerous for her."

"My friends would not hurt her."

"Not intentionally no. But your enemies, they would feel no such loyalty."

"Is she not in danger from your enemies," Eric asks.

The friendly look on Niall's face disappears at his words. "Not in as much as some," he says, the pleasantness that had been present all evening gone from his voice. "Claudine is full blood fairy. They need to be preserved if we have any hope of survival. My enemies are going after partial fairies."

"Like me." Niall nods with a sad smile on his face before he starts to explain much of what Cataliades had. It does make me feel good that Niall seems to be telling the truth about this.

"Neave and Lochlan are the ones to watch out for," Niall says. Eric's reaction tells me that statement means more to him than it does to me. And not in anywhere near a good way.

"They are against you," he asks and I don't like the worry I can hear in his voice. I don't know if Niall can hear it because it's only a slight change but knowing Eric, I can catch it.

Niall explains that Breandon, who apparently is the fairy that is leading those against him, has commissioned Neave and Lochlan, fairies themselves, to work on taking out what he deems as threats to the Fae.

"And that would include me," I say quietly. I again feel like I don't belong anywhere. Being a telepath, I had always thought that. When vampires came out, I thought I might finally have a place among others who are different. For most vampires however, that place would be in chains doing there bidding. Then finding out there is another group to which I belong, I had hopes again. Now to find out even with fairies, I'm still an anomaly and I have another group where I don't fit in.

But as arms tighten around me, I realize that I have a place, a very good place, probably the most important place where I seem to fit perfectly. Leaning into Eric, I feel him press a kiss to my temple and with his whispered words, "You belong with me," I know that I wouldn't trade this for any other acceptance in the world. And the fact that he said I belong with him and not to him, tells me that he knows exactly what I am thinking.

And that right there tells me that his words are true.

I turn to face him and softly kiss his lips before whispering, "I love you." He's about to say something himself when the waiter suddenly comes back and asks if we need anything else, causing us to look up at him. I quickly look back to Eric, hoping he would continue to say whatever it was he was going to say but to no avail. Instead he is arguing with Niall about who is covering the check. Of course, I could just slip the waiter my card while the two of them are sufficiently distracted but I don't think that would help the situation. Niall finally wins when he implores Eric to allow him to have this, the first thing he has done for me.

I think it's seeing my great grandfather close to begging that causes Eric to finally give in. It earns him another kiss though. As we are walking out of the restaurant Niall asks, "Have I earned a few minutes of your time alone," casting a sideways glance at Eric.

I look to Eric who gives me a little nod telling me that it is up to me. "I will wait in the car," he offers. That makes me feel a little better about it, knowing he will at least be close by. I nod and tell Niall I will give him a few minutes.

As soon as Eric is in the car Niall moves one of his hands and I feel a quick rush of something. I recognize it though from when Octavia has used it. I am about to get upset at him using magic on me but he puts out his hands and says, "It's only a simple silencing spell. Eric can still see us but won't be able to hear us."

I turn and wave to Eric who gives me a smile in return just to make sure that I was being told the truth. As I turn back to my great-grandfather, my anger builds as I hear him say, "I could kill him for you if you want."

I can't believe what I just heard. "Why the hell would I want that?"

"I didn't say you did. It was just an offer that I wanted to put on the table."

"Well, take it off the table and right out of the damn kitchen," I tell him.

"Noted. He cares for you. Tremendously," he says with a quiet voice.

"The feeling is mutual."

"Yes, that much I can tell. He is not the one I would have picked for you." I am about to tell him just where he can stick his pick for me. "But he seems to give you what I want for you."

"He gives me everything," I tell Niall. "Everything," I repeat for emphasis.

"Except his love," Niall says.

"No," I shake my head. "He gives me that too. Even if he doesn't know it yet."

"I think you are right. He's a good vampire. A good vampire with a tragic past." Niall says.

I look over to the vampire in question and he gives me an encouraging smile and I love him that much more for it. I know he doesn't like that we are here tonight. I know that he doesn't like that I am out here talking to Niall without him. But he is letting me do it because even though I may not be sure that it's what I want he knows, probably knew before I even did, that it's what I need.

"Do you know him well," I ask Niall.

"I know enough," is his response. "He is loyal above nothing else and honorable both in human standards and in vampire. I'm glad you have him. He can protect you."

"Are fairy conversations usually so conflicting," I ask him. I feel like I'm having conversation whiplash. One minute he's telling me he'll kill Eric if that's what I want and the next he's telling me he's a good guy.

At my question my great-grandfather laughs a bit. "It is said that we can talk in circles but usually our conversations are a little more direct."

"So what's with this one," I ask and with the look in his eyes, I see that Niall knows exactly what I am asking.

"I may be guilty of trying to gauge your reactions," he tells me. "I wished to make sure you are truly happy with the Northman." He turns and looks at Eric before looking back at me. "I'm glad to see that you are. The two of you are good for each other."

I have nothing to say to that. It's simply the truth. As we say goodbye, I ask if I will see him again. He hands me a card and tells me that he plans on visiting but to call him if I ever need him. I remember what Eric said about him being hard to reach. "Someone will always answer that number and know how to reach me, immediately if necessary," he says, making me wonder if he wasn't telling the truth before about telepathy not being common with the Fae.

He leans over and kisses the top of my head quickly before saying goodbye one last time and heading off into the night. I touch the spot on my head, it feeling a little tingly where he touched me, before heading back into the car.

When I get in, I grab Eric's hand and give it a tight squeeze hoping it would convey better than my words what it means to me that he came here tonight, for all that he did tonight. "Do you think I can trust Niall," I ask Eric.

He takes a few seconds to answer me. "I do not think he would intentionally hurt you."

"That doesn't really answer my question."

"No it does not," he says. But I can't fault him on his words because I feel the same way towards my great-grandfather. I take Eric's hand in mine, give it a tight squeeze and spend the rest of the ride in comfortable silence, so unlike earlier at the restaurant. When we get home, I want nothing else than to put my pajamas back on and curl up with my vampire.

As I go into the closet to get my clothes however, I sense someone behind me. I turn quickly to see who it is, even though somewhere in the back of my mind I know that it's Eric. Sure enough, it is him when I turn around. No real surprise there. The surprise however, is that he is holding a single red rose in his outstretched arm. I can't help but break out into a smile at the sight. As I take the rose from his hand, I ask, "What is this?"

He hesitates before saying, "Happy Valentine's Day, Sookie," a hesitant smile appearing on his face.

**Hello dear readers. We seem to have picked up quite a few on our journey during the last week so welcome to those who have joined us. Thanks for giving this little tale a spin and I hope you enjoy it. I'm glad so many of you like that it was Thalia that spoke with Eric in the last chapter. It felt fitting after her conversation with Sookie on the plane in Love and Memories. So in this chapter we get to meet Niall, and what he brings with him, in this chapter. We also get to see just why Eric was upset that this was the night they were meeting Niall. **

**Unfortunately, the next chapter might be a bit delayed. With school starting up again this week, it will all depend on my little, darling students and how they do.**

**Also, thanks for the reviews. I greatly appreciate you taking the time to leave your thoughts on the story.**

**For my guest reviewer – Thanks so much for your kind words. I hope you continue to enjoy the story.**

**So no TB tonight, and really all I can say about the finale is that it ended better than I expected it to.**


	9. I Like You a Lot

_Never been much for writing love letters,_

_A bunch of wildflowers seem to say it much better_

_So if you're asking on how I feel about me and you_

_Yeah we ride like a Cadillac_

_Run like a deer_

_Girl I ain't just whistling Dixie to tickle your ear_

_Tied tied a little rope in a double square knot_

_What I'm trying to say in the most romantic way that I got,_

_Is that I like you a lot, I like you a lot, a whole lot – Jake Owen_

**Eric POV **

I do not know exactly what I was expecting when I extended my arm to hand Sookie the rose and wished her a happy Valentine's Day. Maybe I expected one of her classic smiles, the kind that lights up her face and makes her eyes sparkle. Maybe I imagined her running into my arms and wrapping herself around me in a hug. Okay, so maybe I had thought about what I expected but I definitely did not see this as an option.

No, out of all the reactions I thought possible, this was not one of them. I did not see her bursting into tears at my words.

I was looking forward to tonight. I had made plans for tonight. I had been upset when Brigant had wanted to meet tonight of all nights. I have thoughts that he picked tonight purposely, knowing its significance in the human world, in his great-granddaughter's world. Much like the spell he performed tonight probably had two purposes. Oh I have no doubt that he did not want to be overheard but I also doubt that he was not looking for a reaction from me as well.

I however, refused to give him the satisfaction and in regards to Valentine's Day well, I would just have to make other plans. That was my thought at least until I saw what my simple rose did to her. Maybe, I would not be making plans to make up for the missed ones if this was her reaction.

I throw the rose over my shoulder and take two steps towards her before I stop. I do not know what upset her but I do know that I do not want to upset her even more. I look at her hoping for some hint of what I did that caused her to get so upset. I do not have too much time to think it over however, because she is soon launching herself into my arms and saying something that I cannot make out – even with my vampire ears. All I keep doing is whispering apologies into her ear and hoping that she will be able to forgive whatever I did to make her cry.

After she calms down, she pulls back and with the smile on her face I would have liked to see at my words she says, "You remembered Valentine's Day."

"I am sorry," I tell her still confused about her reactions and what my reactions to them should be. If Pam were present, she would have some of that advice from the Dear Abby woman she reads. Alas, I am on my own in this.

"No," she says shaking her head. "You have nothing to apologize for. I just can't believe you remembered." Then she looks sheepish before hanging her head and saying quietly, "Especially, when I didn't."

It is times like this when I wish that I were the one gifted with telepathy. After centuries of living amongst them and learning all that I could about them for survival, it is this little human in my arms that I find most confounding. Crying at my words would usually be a symbol that she is upset. But now her voice and the smile on her face tells me she is anything but upset.

Color me confused.

"I thought that this holiday was important to humans, especially to those in a relationship," I say to her. I wanted to add especially to women in those relationships, but did not want to press my luck now that she is smiling.

"It is," she tells me softly. "I just never really had a reason to celebrate before."

"Either have I," I told her and she finally looks back up at me.

"You've had more than a thousand Valentine's Days," she tells me, disbelief in her voice.

"Not quite," I tell her with a bit of a smile. "We did not celebrate back when I was human in my part of the world so it was not something I carried into my vampire life as I started to travel. This is really my first reason to celebrate."

Sookie looks deep into my eyes as hers tell me everything yet nothing about how she is feeling. Many emotions pass through her eyes and through the bond we share. I am hoping, wishing that when the emotions stop, they land on one that shows she is happy, because that is all I wanted from this evening.

I am not sure exactly what I was going to say to Sookie at the restaurant when the waiter interrupted us. Similarly, I do not know whether I should be thanking the waiter or throttling him for the intrusion. I have been feeling something build in me for the last few weeks, longer if I am being honest with myself. Actually, if I am being honest with myself this something has been building since Sookie walked into my bar for the first time. What started out as simple curiosity and intrigue on her first visit has grown into something more, much more. I can no longer see my life without her in it. My goal every night is to simply make her smile. It has been hard to match what I feel for her into words that are strong enough to explain my feelings for her.

But I think I was going to try to do just that at the restaurant.

As I stared at Sookie before the waiter came over, I saw hope enter her eyes as if she too realized what I would be attempting to do. Part of me wishes the waiter never came to the table and I did not have to see the hope in her eyes dashed. I cannot deny though, that part of me was glad for the interruption. If I managed to form the words, I would not want to say them for the first time in the company of others. I am not trying to hide my feelings; in fact the opposite is true. I am finding it harder and harder to keep my feelings to myself. I just do not want an audience the first time I try to verbalize my feelings for Sookie.

Because it is becoming clearer and clearer to me just how I feel about her.

"So tonight could have been a first for both of us," she says. "I'm sorry I forgot. I'm sorry that tonight is the night Niall wanted to meet with us."

"There will be other nights," I tell her.

"No, Eric. This obviously meant a great deal to you. It would have meant a great deal to me if I had remembered what tonight was. I am sorry that I didn't remember. It makes me so happy that you did and I am just so sorry that your plans were ruined."

"So happy you were crying," I ask her.

"Exactly," she says wrapping her arms tightly around me. "Happy tears. So overwhelmingly happy, I cried."

"I am not sure I understand," I tell her. She lets go of me and when she steps back she has a little smirk on her face. "Let me see if I can show you," she says teasingly taking steps backward towards the bed. By the time she gets to the bed, she has managed to take off all of her clothes. By the end of the night, she has managed to show me that it is indeed possible to cry because you are so happy.

**Sookie POV**

I'm so not excited for the trip to New Orleans tomorrow night. Eric promises it will only be one night but with Sophie-Anne, and in fairness to her the unknown threats and anything I find out, who knows how long it will be really. It's not so much even dealing with the Queen or using my telepathy that's really bothering me, it's just more of the unknown.

To try and relax, I am currently heading to Merlotte's to grab dinner and hang out with Jason and some friends I haven't seen in a while. This was something Eric and I had spoke about and our stances on it were most surprising. He had been the one encouraging me to go out and see my brother while I had been the one hesitant to do so.

Quite the change.

I had been hesitant to go out with everything that has been going on especially with Niall's warning about what Eric explained were some psychotic fairies. I have never been one who was okay with simply sitting at home twiddling my thumbs and I don't think I will ever be okay doing so. In fact, concern for my safety barely crossed my mind. It was Eric's safety that I was more concerned with because I know that if something were to happen to me, Eric would do everything in his power to save me, even at his own detriment.

But Eric surprised me when he encouraged me to go out. He doubted the fairies Niall warned us of would be attacking now. He has faith in my great-grandfather that if the threat was imminent, we would have been told that. He also knew Sam would be at Merlotte's and though the two may never be best friends, Eric knows Sam wouldn't let anything happen to me.

That still didn't stop him from having five Weres protect me as well. In fact, I am currently in the car with Tray and Alcide and three more from their pack will be joining us at Merlotte's. Count in that Sam and my brother who would be there, and I have quite the group of protectors. It would only be for about two hours before Eric gets here anyway. He was going to meet me here. He was stopping back at my house to pick up the things I had wanted to grab the night we had to leave suddenly when the wards at Fangtasia went off. I made a list for him and he could get everything packed quickly to save time. Plus, without knowing anything more about that charm that we found, he is hesitant to have me handle it again and I can't say that I blame him.

The fact that I reacted to it but my brother and Eric didn't, was a tad worrisome. Eric wonders if it has to do with my so-called spark. That would seem to point in the direction of it being a fairy trinket. I would ask Niall, but I am not sure how much I can trust him at the moment. Eric agrees with me.

As we pull up to Merlotte's the excitement finally starts to build. I haven't exactly been living the life of a hermit, but I haven't seen my brother or my friends in a while. As I get out of the car and enter, I am even more thankful that Eric pushed me to do this. It's great to see everyone again. I spend the last of the late afternoon catching up with everyone and playing a few games of pool.

It is only a bit after nightfall but I am still watching for Eric. I know he won't be here until about an hour after sunset, but I can't help to look for him.

It's about twenty minutes away from the time I expect Eric to show up when I feel a void entering the bar. I had been keeping my shields down to make sure everything was okay. I don't even have to turn round to tell me that this void isn't Eric. I don't know how exactly I can tell, but I know it isn't. I hope it's a friendly vampire, maybe even Bubba, but I don't turn around to see who it is, not wanting to draw any attention to myself.

Right, because that always works fabulously.

Tray is standing across from me so he would be able to see the vampire. I look at him not liking the way he tenses up and take that, as the vampire that just walked through the door is definitely not a friend. I don't miss how Alcide moves slightly so instead of standing beside me, he is guarding my back.

The vampire walks up to the bar and seemingly ignores the tension from the three of us and from Sam behind the bar, and that is definitely not a good sign. As he asks for a bottled blood, I try to nonchalantly take a step towards Tray. Alcide follows my lead, laughing at something that Tray just said. I have no clue what it was as I am carefully keeping track of the void hoping that Eric will be here sooner than I think. I'm also hoping that Jason and Hoyt are drunk enough for their pool game to take a while to finish. Of course I am also hoping that this is simply a vampire that is passing through the area, but with my luck lately that is most likely not the case.

I have to give Tray and Alcide credit. They manage to keep up a conversation and I smile and nod, hopefully in spots that it makes sense to, all the while trying to keep calm. I know if I let my fear take over, Eric will be here as soon as he can, which would be a good thing. However, the vampire will also be able to sense my fear and again, I do not want to draw attention to myself.

But of course I find that no matter how hard I try, it's just not good enough.

All my control over my emotions, fear specifically, vanishes as I hear, "Miss Stackhouse. It's nice to meet you."

I swallow and make a decision and turn around to face him deciding that ignoring him would make the situation even worse. I have no doubt that Eric feels the change in my emotion as my fear escalates and something tells me that he is starting to head this way. "I wish I could say the same," I tell him and I can hear my voice shake.

The Weres form a half circle around me, as the three who had been sitting in a booth close by, also surround me now that the vampire has made contact. Sam also comes over to our section of the bar. I quickly glance over to my brother and Hoyt and see them laughing and focused on the game. Hopefully, they will stay that way.

The vampire's eyes don't leave mine but I can see him taking it all in. I only wish I knew what he was trying to figure out. "Now, Miss Stackhouse, these men are not really needed. I only wished to meet you."

"Well, you're already one step ahead of me. I don't even know your name."

At that he smiles, which does nothing to calm me. "Jonathon," he says. That doesn't help me at all. Granted I am sure I don't know them all yet but to my knowledge there is no Jonathon in the Area Five vampires. "I don't suppose I could convince you to take a walk with me," he asks, his eyes finally leaving mine to take in the five Weres that I have surrounding me. His smile becomes a smirk and Alcide takes another step closer to me at the sight of it.

"Not a chance," I tell him. I start to tell him that I am Eric's but he cuts me off saying, "I know, I know. You are the good Sherriff's of this delightful Area." I don't miss any of the sarcasm is his voice.

"Have you met him," I ask trying to figure out if he's checked in with Eric like a good little vampire. But his answer tells me nothing except more badness.

"You seem to have a good knowledge of our procedures," he says with all evidence of any smile or smirk off of his face. Usually, that would be a good thing, almost like wiping the pride off his face. But he is definitely not happy that I seem to have some idea of vampire protocol.

And unhappy vampires are definitely not good things. Jonathon starts to say something but something must catch his attention outside, as he briefly glances at the window before looking back to me. He barely finishes saying, "I must wish you a goodnight. Until we meet again Miss Stackhouse," before he is out the door of Merlotte's.

And that of course gets Jason's attention and as he takes in the men surrounding me, he drops his pool stick and comes over making sure I am okay. I am still looking at the door, hoping that Jonathon is gone for good. He didn't really do anything but his mere presence had been enough to give me a very bad feeling.

I flinch when the door I am still staring at bursts open but I don't even have enough time to hope it's not Jonathon again before I find myself wrapped in familiar arms. Eric holds me tight to him and I can feel his chest rumbling as he starts a low growl. I don't even know if he realizes he's doing it. It's not until my brother questions the sounds that he stops and lightens his hold on me but doesn't let me go completely.

And that is fine with me.

"Are you okay," he asks me. "You were scared."

"I was but I'm fine, Eric. Nothing happened to me."

"But what happened," he asks and I don't miss his nostrils flaring showing that he is trying to scent whatever it was that frightened me. I'm not able to get any of my explanation out before Eric says, "Vampire," with a growl, having smelled the presence of another one.

"Do you recognize the scent," Tray asks. Eric says he does not and asks if any of the Weres did. Head shaking all around.

"Wasn't he one of your guys," Jason asks looking confused.

"No he was not," Eric replies.

"Jason why don't you take Hoyt home," I tell him, trying to get him out of this situation. I know Eric won't want to say much with him here and the less he knows about the situation the better. Luckily for me, Hoyt is slumping against the wall showing just how many drinks he's had for the evening and Jason will need to get him home.

Unluckily for Hoyt, his mother may kill him if she sees him like this. But Jason has been helping Hoyt avoid that for years. Hopefully, their luck hasn't run out.

Jason looks at the group of him before asking Eric, "Is my sister going to be okay?"

"I will make sure of it." Jason still looks hesitant to leave and it really means a lot to me. I wrap my arms around him and tell him that I will be fine. He kisses my check before telling me to call him if I need anything.

By this time we have caught a great deal of attention from the other patrons. Sam waves us into the back to use his office to talk while he tries to diffuse the situation out front. "Can you tell me anything about him," Eric asks and I love him even more for directing the question at me.

"He knew my name and said his name was Jonathon." I explain what happened when I basically asked if he had checked in with Eric.

"No he has not," Eric says before getting out his phone. He must have called Pam because he asks if any vampire has checked into the Area either in person or email so far tonight. By the look on his face, I know the answer is no.

"What does this mean," I ask.

"I do not know." I know he has some ideas though. I can see him working through them in his eyes. I am hoping that he will share them with me. Though a small part of me still wants to demand that he does just that, the larger part of me can rationalize that he has been more open with me rather than keep me in the dark. I have no reason to believe he would start doing so now.

Eric and Tray are discussing the situation while the other Weres and I listen in. An unknown vampire doesn't bode well for them either. Until we know who this Jonathon is and what he wants, it is decided that both the vampires and wolves will do nightly patrols to see if he is still in the Area – or if anyone else new is here too. After they have some plans in place, we start to leave the office. Well, most of us start to. Eric doesn't let me follow the Weres out. Instead he takes me into his arms again and I relax into him as the weight of what happened and what it could mean finally hits me.

I thought that I was scared when Jonathon was here but that is nothing compared to what I am now. I don't miss when I start shaking in Eric's arms. He starts whispering and humming softly into my ear and I realize that he probably knew this was coming. I just can't believe how dangerous this evening could have turned, and we still aren't sure of the consequences that will happen because of the events this evening.

As I start to calm down, Eric starts to ask me more questions about what happened but there is little more that I can tell him. After a few more minutes, he starts to lead me outside and I ask if we are heading to my house. I could really use some of my comfort items about now. Eric is one step ahead of me though and tells me, "I already have everything you wanted. I was just about done when I felt your fear spike."

I thank him and press a kiss to cheek while we walk. I don't ask him if he brought the little charm too. I really, really want to but I stop myself. The fact that I want to so badly though is a little worrisome.

Okay, maybe a lot worrisome.

As Eric leads me back to the car, he is very much searching our surroundings. Luckily, we make it into the car without an issue, though Eric nearly took out a tree when it's branch moved a weird way. "You said he knew you," he asks as he starts to drive away.

"My name at least. He called me 'Miss Stackhouse.' And he knew I am yours."

"Both are simple facts to find." I don't know if he is trying to comfort himself or me.

"But it feels more than that," I say carefully. I'm not even sure what I mean exactly, but his simple appearance felt like a threat itself.

"It does," he confirms. "Especially with everything else going on."

Eric's phone rings and we both tense at the ringtone that signals it is the Queen calling. Eric picks up the phone and if not for his vampire reflexes, I would be pulling the phone out of his hand while he drives. The tension in his shoulders becomes even more prevalent as the phone call continues, which does nothing to ease my mind.

When he hangs up he hits his hand against the steering wheel and I am just wondering what now? After a few seconds of silence go by, I softly say his name to bring him out of whatever thoughts he is having. He looks over to me and takes my hand in his. I can feel the tension it, but he is very gentle with me when he does so.

"The situation just got more complicated," he tells me before looking back to the road. "Sophie-Anne received another marriage proposal tonight."

"That's not good, is it," I ask.

"No it is not," he says and the car picks off speed as we head to Fangtasia to try to figure out just what the hell is going on.

**Hello dear readers. Sorry for the delay on this and I hope that you've enjoyed it. We got a little bit on what Eric thinks of thinks and just where his mind is at, at the moment. We also got a few more clues to could be going one. Possibly. Maybe. We shall see ;)**

**I am hoping to get back to weekly updates but life isn't playing too nicely at the moment so we shall see. The next few chapters are pretty much done it's just a matter of adding some stuff in. Fingers crossed!**


	10. We Belong Together

_What good is a life,_

_With no one to share,_

_The light of the moon,_

_The honor of a swear?_

_The kingdom of men,_

_Is hollow within,_

_Without depth,_

_Without the care,_

_That it takes to make a perfect love – Gavin Degraw_

**Sookie POV**

Eric gets grumpier and grumpier as we get closer to Fangtasia. I know enough now to not ask any more questions after he hangs up the phone. He doesn't really say much, nothing actually, but that is more of a sign of just how upset he is. Though we have had plenty of quiet car rides, he tends to hum at least during them. I don't even know if he realizes that he is doing it.

But now there is no humming. He's not even playing with my fingers or my hair like he tends to when he drives. Instead, his fingers are tight on the steering wheel, so tight in fact that his already very pale fingers are bone white. He's even letting out little growls every now and again, and not the cute growls he can make. No, these growls make it seem like someone is going to die.

Like real soon.

So I just stay quiet, feeling his tension rise in the car. I leave my arm and hand on the center consol just incase he feels the need to take my hand in his. I know I sometimes need to hold his as I am processing things. I try not to get offended though when my hand goes untouched through the entire ride.

It's a bit easier to do once we arrive at the bar. He's quick to my side of the car and his arm is around my shoulders as he walks me inside. As he opens the door, he gently kisses my forehead knowing that with his silence, I need it.

I was surprised when we walked through the parking lot at how empty it was. Fangtasia wasn't supposed to be closed tonight so the fact that it has obviously been closed down means the news we received tonight is especially bad. As I walk into the bar, I take notice that Thalia and Pam are the only ones left. Well, for vampires anyway. Ginger is currently cleaning the bar humming to herself. I get a big smile when she sees me and she drops everything to rush over and give me a hug, which I return. It has become obvious that Ginger likes hugs. As you can imagine working at a vampire bar, she doesn't get too many.

Eric let's me go so I can hug her but tells her that she can leave when we separate. He's right to do so. The less she knows, the safer she is. I know part of Eric wishes he could tell me to leave too for the same reason. But I'm already in pretty deep and at this point not having me know the truth about what is going on is more dangerous.

Without anyone else here, there is no need to go back to Eric's office to have whatever conversation we will be having. The problem is, no one seems to want to start this conversation and that right there tells me this is bad. I'm not quite sure what the difference is between this and Threadgill's proposal but with the way everyone is acting, this one could prove worse.

Much worse.

"The Queen called here before she called you," Pam starts, someone finally talking. "She didn't say much, but the fact that she was calling for you, I thought it would be smart to close the bar for the night."

Eric nods and tells her, "Smart choice." But then he stops talking. With the look Pam throws him at his return to silence, I see that she is just as lost as I am to what is going on. Well, I may actually have a step up on her. I at least know Sophie-Anne received another marriage proposal. Knowing vampires' phone etiquette, or should I say lack of phone etiquette, Sophie-Anne probably hung up as soon as she knew that Eric was not at the bar tonight, not really telling Pam much of anything. And though I know Eric won't be keeping this information from Pam and Thalia, I also know that it is not my place to bring it up.

So the three of us continue to look at Eric while he continues to look at well, nothing in particular. He finally sighs but I am surprised when he starts out his tale by saying, "Sookie had a visitor tonight."

That brings everyone's attention to me and suddenly I don't know how Eric lasted the long minutes he stayed in silence under our glares. I start to tell Thalia and Pam what happened while I was at Merlotte's. They seem more angry than worried as I start my tale, which does not really match Eric. Sure he is angry, but I can tell he is worried under the anger as well.

"The vampire told Sookie his name was Jonathon," Eric adds, watching both Thalia and Pam carefully, which means I am also watching Pam and Thalia carefully, hoping that I can get some sort of indication of what is going on from them. Pam asks, "Jonathon," before looking back and forth from Eric and I. "Do we know a Jonathon?" But it's Thalia that has my attention. Something like recognition crosses her eyes but her focus soon turns back to Eric as he continues to speak.

"I personally don't know a Jonathon," he says. " But Sophie-Anne also received a marriage proposal tonight."

Pam scoffs and says, "Isn't that I little tacky? The goo of her husband isn't even completely soaked in the ground yet."

"It is soon. The proposal does not allow Sophie-Anne the mourning period given in these cases, regardless of any feelings involved. " It was true that there was no love between Sophie-Anne and Peter and it was obvious to just about everyone, especially with how their wedding turned out, so I am surprised to learn that vampires give mourning periods. Of course, Sophie-Anne had so far used hers to pretty much dismantle and rebuild her finally dead husband's state.

"The fact that the vampire who extended the proposal did so this soon, tells us plenty," Eric says. We all look at him, hoping that he will tell us just what exactly it means. Well, that is what I am hoping for anyway. Pam and Thalia may already have a good idea of what is going on.

"It tells us that he cares little for the usual procedures. It tells us that there is something he desperately wants."

"Who is it Eric," Pam asks and I think that is what we all want to know.

"De Castro." And with the name, everyone is back to looking at me. I shrug under their glare not understanding much at the moment. The name isn't familiar to me and surely figuring out what exactly is going on here is more important than gaping at me.

"And the vampire that visited you tonight was named Jonathon," Pam asks.

When I nod, she looks back to Eric who nods but never takes his eyes off of me. I see Thalia nod too and she looks like this just confirmed her previous thoughts. Pam takes out her phone and starts typing away at it. I turn my attention and ask Eric what exactly is going on.

My heart drops as Eric tells me, "Jonathon, the vampire that came to see you tonight, works for de Castro."

**Eric POV**

I cannot only feel Sookie as she takes in the information and starts to understand what it means, but I can also see her start to come apart before my eyes. It is one of the worst things that I have ever experienced in all of my many years. I would gladly take another few centuries with my maker if it would mean I would never see Sookie like this again.

I have already seen it too many times on her face in the little bit of time that we have been together. The first time I saw it was after Bill attacked her in the trunk. To think that in that particular situation, I wanted to see her fall apart, that wanted to see her sad because that at least meant she was feeling something. When I first opened that trunk and saw her in it, there was nothing showing on her face, nothing flashing through her eyes. I doubted what my ears were telling me as I listened to her heart beating much too fast, until she screamed as I tried to lift her from the trunk. It was only then that I believed she was alive. And in the next few hours, I saw the sadness appear on her face and in her eyes. And though even then I hated to see the look on her face, I was happy she was showing some emotion, any emotion.

But I did hate that sadness was the emotion that I saw on her face, just like at the moment I despise the fact that she is coming apart right before my eyes. I move over to her quickly and take her to sit in one of the booths, so I can explain everything while sitting down. I see Pam take out her phone and I know she will be sending messages to others across the state, well states really counting Arkansas, to see if anyone else had met anyone associated with Nevada tonight. I will have to call the Queen to let her know as well.

But first I need to explain to Sookie just what it is that is going on.

"Felipe de Castro is the vampire king of Nevada. He has long wanted to extend his borders but has never had both the opportunity and the means to do so."

"Nevada is no where near her though," Sookie says and I welcome her interruption. It shows that she is still here with me even as she processes the threat she was presented with tonight. "If he wanted to extend his borders, shouldn't he be looking closer to home?"

"Not actually extend his borders. De Castro has always been after power. It is what he has always wanted. By marrying Sophie-Anne he will not only get Louisiana but now Arkansas. It will also give him a base more centralized in the country should he decide he's not happy with three states. Plus," I add looking over to Pam and getting a shake of the head from her, "he will have access to whatever it is he wants."

Sookie looks between Pam and me in question, before Pam explains that she has been asking if anyone else had gotten any visitors or had seen any new vampires in the last few days. Everyone had given a resounding no but promised to be on the lookout. "So I am the only one De Castro deemed important enough to send someone to visit?"

"That's what it looks like," Pam says while I struggle to find the words that will make her feel protected and safe because she will be. I will make sure no one touches her.

"Why would he send a scout out for me," Sookie asks.

"It could have been for a number of reasons. De Castro is obviously looking for information. We have to determine what exactly it is that he wants and make sure he doesn't get it."

"Could he have been the one behind everything with Threadgill?"

"I really do not think so," I respond before explaining why. "De Castro keeps his money in different banks scattered throughout the US."

"And the money Threadgill was receiving was coming from accounts outside the US," Sookie says and I cannot help but be proud that she has managed to put that together.

"Correct. Though I will suggest to Sophie-Anne that de Castro's accounts be monitored, something she will be able to do when considering his proposal, just in case something has changed."

"What if she looks to see if de Castro was receiving money around the same time that Threadgill was? Maybe the king of Nevada wasn't calling the plays but was still playing the game."

At her words, I press a hard kiss to her lips. First, I am happy that I understand her metaphor. Nevada may not have been behind everything but he may have also been working with Threadgill. Second, I have never once thought Sookie was not smart but her thinking continues to astound me. It is this thinking that will help keep her alive in my world and that of course is a goal of mine, my most important one actually.

"I will mention it to Sophie-Anne tonight," I tell her. "If de Castro was in on it from the beginning, it makes sense that he would be able to continue the plans quickly, which would account for the timing of the proposal."

Having all of the information that we know on the table, the four of us spend the next hour or so discussing what needs to be done in the immediate future. Originally the plan was for Pam to come to New Orleans with us but now I need her here with Thalia just in case something happens. Though with a proposal a takeover is unlikely, it is not out of the question. I speak to the Queen to let her know about Jonathon and ask if she would rather Sookie and I, because I am not letting her go alone since Jonathon had been looking for her, come down in a few days rather than tomorrow night so more arrangements can be made. Sophie-Anne surprises me when she actually takes a minute to think it over before deciding that our trip should happen tomorrow as scheduled. The chances of something happening tomorrow night is slimmer than something happening a few nights from now.

Pam is the one to call Tray and warn him that there may be new vampires in the Area and to watch out for them. As the Were has been in the past, he has also offered himself and his pack if we need them. This is why I always thought he should have been the one to lead the pack. Most Supes stick to their own, it is true but if that practice continues, it could mean the end for us all. If we all worked together, we can accomplish more and be able to fight back against attacks.

Pam had been the one to alert and talk to Tray more often lately. She has been seeing the Were a bit more often too. It was more sporadic when the witch was down in New Orleans, but now that she is back it has become more of a nightly thing. But I cannot deny that my child has been happier with this little arrangement so I keep my mouth shut.

But if those two hurt her they may just find their heads detached from their shoulders.

Once we think we have covered every possibility that could happen in the next few evenings, we all start to head home. Sookie is a bit tired, the events from earlier in the evening catching up with her, so I gently help her get ready for bed and see that she is tucked in. I then go back out to the car and bring in what I had collected from her house. Most of the items I leave in the closet for her to do with as she wishes. A blanket that I know her grandmother made however, replaces the comforter currently covering her. The only other thing I put away is the still unknown charm. That goes into my safe. Hopefully, determining what that object is can wait. Then I crawl into bed, take Sookie carefully in my arms, and simply watch her sleep, until the sun takes me to my rest.

The first thing I take notice of when I come out of my rest is that Sookie is in bed with me and I am grateful for it. I would not be lying if I said that I am afraid that one of these days she will not be. What has been going on lately has been a lot for me to process and this is all part of my world. Part of me would not be surprised if she wakes up one day and realizes it is all too much for her. But another part of me realizes that the day she does so may never come. What Sookie has been teaching me suggests that. These are lessons that I certainly hope are right.

When she notices that I am awake, she rolls closer to me and snuggles into my side. I wrap my arm around her and just enjoy the little bit of time we have before we head off to New Orleans, for hopefully just the night. I do not know what to hope for in this situation. If Sookie does learn anything the information will be useful but that could require us to stay a little longer. If she does not hear anything, we could probably leave tonight but we will be no closer to finding out anything.

The only thing I am sure that I am hoping for is that everyone makes it to the next sunrise.

**Thalia POV**

The two are quiet in the back of the car as I drive them to the airport, or at least they would be if I did not have vampire hearing. They are whispering non-sensical things to each other trying, and sometimes failing, to hold in their laughter. It's enough to bring a smile to my face.

Or at least it would if I smiled on a regular basis.

Though I cannot deny that I have been smiling more lately, a lot more in fact. I have not had too much to smile about in the last few centuries and though no one would say it to my face, even my fellow vampires were a bit scared of me. It got them to stay away from me. And for a long time I liked it. I enjoyed my solitary life.

But then the Northman called me here, to a rather populated state and Area. To say I was not pleased at first would be a bit of an understatement. Not only did he expect me to be around others, but to work closely with them. Honestly, I wasn't quite sure what he was thinking and if he hadn't earned my respect centuries ago, I would have given him a much different answer.

But I had been surprised with what I found when I got here.

What I found was a family long after I had stopped looking for one. My thoughts were not so different than the Viking's thoughts, though we had vastly different reasons for having them. Where Eric's thoughts came from centuries of abuse, mine came from loss. Both had the same outcome though.

It's funny because Eric credits Sookie for much of what has happened. He gives her credit for bringing everyone together. He gives her credit for loving him. He gives her credit for making him feel again. But he is missing where a great deal of that credit should go to. He gives himself no credit for what has happened between them, and that's where much of it should go as well.

He doesn't realize that if he were the type of vampire who really doesn't care, Sookie probably would not have gotten out of that trunk alive. Even after getting her out, he could have been done with her. But he wasn't. He has done all he can to make her safe but more importantly, he has done all he can to make her happy. He has gone above and beyond what the Queen would have wanted him to do to protect an asset. He has gone above and beyond simply claiming and protecting a human or a pet. Her safety and happiness are most important to him. If I hadn't have seen it in him, see what he is capable of and see what he is trying to build here without even realizing it, I may have left already. It's something that he should be proud of. It's something that I am eager to see what happens when he realizes it.

It's something that I didn't even know I was missing until I saw it again.

They grow a bit louder as I pull up to the private plane they will be using to fly to New Orleans. I get out of the car and check the surrounding area, knocking lightly on the door when I sense everything is as it should be. When Eric is out and agrees he helps Sookie from the car as I go and check the plane. It too seems fine and I tell him so. Eric nods and thanks me before turning to lead Sookie to the plane, taking their one suitcase. I am surprised to find the tiny, little, telepath wrapping her arms around me telling me goodbye. I don't know why it surprises me. It has become a common practice with her, so much so in fact that my arms find themselves wrapping around her too, telling her to make sure to be careful. She nods before pulling away and moving with Eric onto the plane, but they stop right before they reach the stairs to walk aboard. I immediately tense, wondering what the Sheriff picked up and what I had missed, as the vampire in question turns around. He picks up an arm and gestures in a direction. My attention almost moves in that direction, thinking that he is pointing to a threat, but before it can I realize he is pointing in the opposite direction before pointing back to the first. He is waving goodbye to me. He stopped to wave goodbye before entering the plane.

That, right there, is worth me staying and being whatever help I can be.

I raise my hand to give him a tiny one back and hear him say, "Have a good night, Thalia," before he turns around again.

I stay and watch them as they board as I will probably stay until the plane is in flight and I can no longer see it. Because that plane is transporting part of my family, and that is very precious cargo.

**Hello dear readers. I hope that you have had a good week. Here is the next chapter and I do hope that you enjoyed it. We also get to hear from someone new in this chapter. Originally, I had taken this part out of this chapter and planned on hearing from Thalia a bit later in the story, but when talking to a reader about hearing from Thalia, I decided to put it back in. So I hope kinnik, and all other readers, enjoyed hearing some of her thoughts. (And that I didn't ruin the 'mystery' of her character which had been my concern.)**

**Thanks so much for reading and I appreciate all those taking the time to leave their thoughts and comments. **


	11. All For You

_Finally I figured out, but it took a long long time_

_And now there's a turnabout, Maybe cause I'm trying_

_There's been times, I'm so confused_

_All my roads, They lead to you – Sister Hazel_

**Pam POV**

Having Eric and Sookie gone is no fun and it's not just because I'm stuck doing more work when Eric isn't here. While working, I don't get to watch them make googly eyes at each other from across the room, or when Sookie is on Eric's lap, or when they are in different rooms and they think of the other, or well, you get the idea. It's only been a few hours and yet I feel like I am going through googly eye withdrawal. It is always quite entertaining, as they each never wanted to be caught doing it by the other. It's always fun to watch.

Now I am stuck watching Thalia pout, which is decidedly less fun. But of course that has nothing to do with the fact that I just want to pout along with her. None at all.

See she can get away with it because that's just…her. Well, at least to those who don't know her too well. And those that don't are getting few and far between in Area Five. We have been getting to know her here and she really isn't all that scary.

Don't tell her I said that.

But tonight she is back to the sullen vampire she was when she first got here. She looks how I feel. But if I start to pout, well the other vampire's reactions would be interesting. Of course my reaction to their reaction probably would have left us with fewer vampires in Area Five, and we need all the help we can get at the moment.

So there goes that idea.

It's always a little nerve racking to go and visit Sophie-Anne regardless of the reason for the visit. When trying to find out who is involved in a plan to takeover the state, nerve racking is an understatement. Add the fact that my little friend is human and we have moved so far past nerve racking that I don't know if there is a word to describe it.

I throw some paperwork at the despondent vampire, which earns me a hell of a glare. I give it right back though. We need to stay on top of this stuff otherwise we will be in another whole league of trouble. We need to sort through the paperwork to make sure no one else got any visitors last night. We have the oral reports but we could always discover something new in the written reports. We also have to go through the paperwork for vampires wanting to move into the Area and crosscheck them with known vampires from Nevada to make sure they are not invading us like Arkansas tried. Of course, that didn't work out too well for them but with a little more organization, it could have been a different outcome.

We need to make sure no one else even has the chance.

Thalia and I work in silence, or at least I work in silence as Thalia continues to pout. Or it seems she is actually thinking as she says suddenly, "Can we trust the Queen?"

She asks it obviously looking for a simple answer but it is anything but simple. Can we trust her as long as it fits her needs, yes. As long as it fits with her wants for the states, another yes. If Thalia had asked me this question months ago before any of this happened, my answer may have been different. But I look at her and know what she is really asking me and I say, "Yes, she will do what she needs to, to make sure Eric and Sookie come back." I don't add on because it's in her best interest. Thalia knows that. But Sophie-Anne also knows she has a great ally in Eric as long as she continues to play nice, and that is not something you throw away lightly.

Thalia nods and pretends to get back to work but I know she won't be comfortable until they are back. I know I won't be comfortable until they get back. Unfortunately, there's little we can do about that. But I bring my chair closer to where Thalia is sitting so we are sharing the same desk. We can draw comfort from each other. That's something we can do until they are home safe again.

**Eric POV**

I am not able to relax until we are on the plane returning home and Sookie is curled up in my lap. She fell asleep within five minutes of takeoff, but I am happy that she did. She may not say so, but I know using her telepathy can take a lot out of her especially when focusing on and looking for something specific. So sleep for her is good at the moment. It also allows me to go back through the evening.

We almost left only after 10 minutes of making it to New Orleans. Well, really I almost left but I would have dragged Sookie kicking and screaming with me as I did so. And she most definitely would not have appreciated that so I am thankful I did not have to do so.

It was Sophie-Anne's suggestion that I not be with Sookie while she was here that almost had me leaving. I could not believe she was even suggesting it. I barely even let her tell me what her plan was. It was only Sookie's calm presence in the bond and her need to help that had me humoring Sophie-Anne as I pretended to entertain her idea. The bond I have with Sookie showed her appreciation of me doing so.

I enjoy the bond. It is the first thing I feel for when I wake from my rest and it is the last thing I take comfort in before I succumb to it at sunrise. The thought does not escape me that this is all before the bond is even complete and that makes me eager to learn what it will be like when it is. But I know there is a reason neither one of us have yet broached the topic even though it is clear it is something we both want. I just hope I do not let us down. I hope I do not let Sookie down.

Sophie-Anne's plans involved me being seen but Sookie staying hidden. That of course would keep us separate and that was not something I was going to allow. But Sookie's gentle hand on my arm had me listening. Then I was planning to take Sookie and leave.

I did not account for the Queen's plan be logical.

As Sophie-Anne explained, I would be in the main room with her, Wybert, and another Louisiana Sheriff, Tyler. We would be talking to vampires and their humans, who worked for Threadgill trying to see if they can be trusted. It could have been done without Tyler but the presence of another Sheriff could put them at ease with seeing me.

Sookie and Sigebert would be in a smaller room, with the only entrance to it in the room I will be in. If anyone wants to get to the room where Sookie is they will literally have to go through me to get in. But no one should even know that she is here, us having taken great care to hide her scent. Sophie-Anne had tried this before, having Sookie here listening in secret and that night Threadgill paid her a visit out of nowhere. Thankfully, it went a bit better tonight.

The tricky part was getting the vampires to bring their humans. The humans Threadgill employed directly were simple enough. If they wanted to have a role in Sophie-Anne's retinue they would have to be interviewed. It was the humans that belonged to the vampires that were a little trickier but they were the ones we needed the most. The vampires would feel most at ease with their humans not seeing them as a threat, so the humans may have overheard some things. It was our best bet to having Sookie hear something useful. So Sophie-Anne with her penchant for taking pets, said that all Arkansas vampires would bring their humans, alluding to the fact that if she wished, she would take them. This would make many of the vampires unhappy but hopefully when she did not actually take any, it would not earn her too many enemies.

I could not deny that Sookie may even be safer in the separate, smaller room. Her presence would be much appreciated when droning on with the Arkansas vampires as I tried to ask questions that would get their humans thinking of something helpful. But I would not let my stubbornness or my want to have her close put her in danger. I had to agree that it was the safer plan.

But that does not mean that I have to like it.

I am keeping close tabs on my bond with Sookie as Sophie-Anne and I speak with the Arkansas vampires. Wybert would be taking any phone calls from Sigebert if anything that cannot wait comes up. Fortunately, or unfortunately depending on how you look at it, most of the night I am not getting anything from her and Wybert's phone never goes off.

We were almost at the last vampire and his human when I felt something from the bond I share with Sookie. The only thing that kept me from jumping up from the table and charging into the room was that it was neither pain nor fear I was feeling from her. I continued the questioning asking the same question a few different ways to try and keep the human thinking about whatever the hell he was thinking. I could tell the vampire was growing impatient with me but had enough control not to act on it. That was definitely a positive in his column.

Though I wanted to know what information Sookie was able to gather, we still had two more vampires to talk to, but neither of them triggers any more feelings from Sookie. After the last vampire leaves, Sophie-Anne dismisses Tyler. He does not like it but goes off without an argument. Once inside, I can see Sookie's excitement but I can also feel that she is nervous, making me worried about what she has found out.

"The human," she started off by saying. Sophie-Anne looked to me confused and I let her know what vampire the human was with. She nodded and sent Sigebert to tell that vampire to stay but to allow everyone to leave. Sookie continued, "The vampire he came with is not his only master." She explained that she has learned that the human was placed with the vampire by whoever is the one calling the shots. The vampire is clueless but his human knew he reports to someone. Unfortunately, that is where his brain gets foggy, the telltale sign of being glamoured. He did not know who he reports to and he is not supposed to discuss this with anyone else.

"Right now, the only other thing he knows is that the vampire is not currently in the United States," Sookie told us. "But that can be changing soon. If he doesn't see the progress that he is looking for, he will be coming here."

She fell silent at that and the rest of us followed suit. On the one hand, it would be good if who we were fighting were here. It would be easier to find them. On the other hand it brings the threat closer, which may be a bad thing. Sophie-Anne voiced what the rest of us were thinking and we spent a little time going over short-term precautions, which were pretty much what we were already doing across the state. We would have to be sure to implement them in Arkansas too as it is the weaker one right now. Sophie-Anne then let us go which should get us back to Shreveport with an hour to spare before sunrise, if we are lucky.

I kiss Sookie's hair as I start to run my fingers through it as she burrows further into my chest. I could have been really close to losing her just last night. Who knows what Jonathon's goal had been? I have no idea what Felipe wanted when he sent Jonathon after her. I hate to think what could have happened if I were further away or if Sookie had gone to Merlotte's by herself. Felipe may have overplayed his hand a bit by showing his interest in Sookie. He would not send Jonathon to her if he were not interested. No one else in Louisiana got a visit from anyone from Nevada. It does not seem that he was scouting the state. It seems like he was scouting Sookie.

And I need to find out why.

Do not get me wrong. I know more than anyone that Sookie is special, though probably not for the same reasons vampires seem to want her. I can understand wanting her for her telepathy. I can understand wanting her for her Fae connections. What I cannot understand is why they would risk everything to get her. The only thing that I can come up with is that whoever is calling the shots, either had something over Threadgill and now Felipe, or he really is that big of a threat.

Definitely not a good thing.

Sookie mumbles something that certainly sounds like my name in her sleep and I can feel the smile appear on my face as I hear it. I like the fact that even in her sleep, Sookie is thinking of me. I know that if I were able to think during the day, she would be the topic of most, if not all my thoughts. She stretches in my lap as her eyes blink open. She blinks against the light a few times before I reach up and dim it so it would not be so harsh on her eyes. She sits up a little straighter but does not leave my lap, which is more than okay with me. As a matter of fact, if she had left my lap, I probably would have dragged her back on it.

"I'm sorry I slept through most of the flight," she tells me through another yawn.

"You have nothing to be sorry for. You needed it."

"You look like you could have used someone to talk to." I shake my head and tell her that time to go through everything was good. Eager to get me out of thinking mode as she calls it she asks me, "Recent happiest moment," going back to the game we have not played lately.

I smile, knowing that she is trying to keep me from my thoughts. I search my mind for what has made me the happiest lately. The little being perched in my lap has been there for all of them and that is something that does not escape me. I owe much to this fantastic creature and I am hoping that I find a way to show her how much I appreciate it.

I have a thought in my mind when I feel her tiny fingers tracing over my face. "Now, that's a smile," she says her fingers dancing over my upturned lips. "I think you've found the memory."

I nod before telling her, "I have many happy memories lately. But my happiest one has been talking with Karin recently." The smile that appears on her face tells me that she is not disappointed in my choice of memory. "And I owe that to you."

She shakes her head and tells me, "You owe it to yourself, Eric." I start to shake my head and disagree with her but she repeats, "You owe it to yourself to give yourself credit here, Eric. You could have simply kept denying everything. You could have continued to believe the lessons your maker taught you, as he wanted you to. You didn't though. You haven't been. You, Eric have been better than that, stronger than that."

I have no words for a second as I take in her thoughts. It is true that I credit her for most of the changes to my mindset. She has released me from the mental prison I had put myself in for centuries. Pam had done her best, done all she could but I still would not allow my freedom. It was not until I had heard it from another that I had started to break free. It was Pam's continued, unwavering belief in me that allowed me to start loosening the chains. It was Sookie's patience with me that let me to come to the realizations myself that allowed me to unlock them. It was their combined love for me that allowed me to break free completely. It was with their encouragement, and even with Thalia's that had me dropping the chains and walking far away from them.

"It was you though," I tell her. "It was you that gave me the strength. It was you and Pam that I wanted to be strong for."

Again she shakes her head at my words. "We may have given you a reason to use it but the strength you have been using to overcome this, that's all on you Eric. The strength you are using to make these realizations about yourself, to fight against what you have thought to be true for countless lifetimes, that's all you. You can't give me credit for that."

I feel something in me grow at her words. It has been something that I have felt since the night she walked in my bar. It is something that increased exponentially when we were in Jackson. It has been steadily increasing since then with every kiss she presses to me, with every smile she gifts me with. It is something that years ago hell, even a year ago, I would have denied wholeheartedly. I find myself not only not denying it any longer, but also searching for what it could possibly be.

And this is the closest that I have come to knowing what it is, to understanding it. I can feel it just outside my grasp though. I turn Sookie slightly in my lap and press my lips to hers. What starts out as a gentle kiss becomes so much more as I deepen it trying to convey to her in that kiss just what I do not quite have the words for yet. It would be simple to say but meaningless if I do not have the understanding of what they mean. But I can clearly see the picture in the puzzle now and I just need a few more pieces.

As I deepen the kiss, Sookie's hands come up to play with my hair. It is only when the pilot announces that we will be landing in five minutes that we separate. I look at Sookie hoping that she understands what that is for, what I was trying to tell her. And I am so happy when I look in her eyes and I see nothing but understanding in them. She will get more soon enough once I am sure I will not be cheating her with simple words. I am only thankful that she is willing to wait for it, wait for me.

"I am so proud of you, Eric," she whispers as she puts her head back on my chest as we begin the decline back down to land. And this time I do not fight her on it. Not because I know she will fight back, but more because I am starting to think that she is right.

After all, she has been in the past.

As the plane comes to a stop, I stand gently lowering Sookie to the ground and making sure she is steady on her feet before letting her go. The second I do however, she grabs onto me and says, "Eric, there are two vampires here. I feel them." I am not too concerned, which seems to make her a little bit upset. "You don't trust me," she asks.

"I need you to trust me," I tell her, knowing full well who is out there, but not wanting to ruin the surprise. She takes a look at me before sighing and putting her hand in mine. She knows that I would do nothing to ever put her danger. What she should also know is that being dropped off earlier by Thalia, we would need a ride home from the airport.

The door opens and the stairs extend and I use my senses to ensure that I am correct before I step to the side and allow her off first. That there should tell her something and it does. She looks past me and sees who it is and it is everything I can do to keep her from falling down the stairs as she runs to greet them, squealing as she moves. But what shocks me even more is the squeal my child makes in response.

I would say I do not understand as it has only been a few hours, but I understand the ways tonight could have gone badly. I know that Sookie and I may not have been able to return from New Orleans if something bad had happened there. I know that there was a chance we would not be coming back to Pam and Thalia if Felipe had decided to attack. Because of this I am more than happy to see the two of them.

I just will not be squealing like them to show my excitement.

I make my way over to the three women just as Pam and Sookie are breaking their hug. As I embrace Pam, I see Sookie take Thalia in her arms and the vampire gives her a hug in return. It was funny when this first started. Thalia would simply stand there and take it. Now, she is more than a willing participant.

When they break apart, Thalia gives me a wave but I wrap an arm around her, wanting to share what I had learned on the plane with her, in the way that I could. "There is not enough time before sunrise to drop everyone off at their respective homes," I point out. "Would you two like to stay with Sookie and I for the day."

Thalia smiles and gives me a nod and Pam responds by yelling, "Slumber party!"

As Sookie and Pam discuss the logistics of said slumber party, I feel another smile appearing on my face. I look to Thalia who still has my arm wrapped around my shoulder to see her smiling as well. "Come on then. Let's go home."

**Hello readers. Sorry this is a tad late but one dead laptop plus a missing charger equals no editing or positing. I am so happy you liked hearing from Thalia in the last chapter. I know a few of you, ok maybe most of you, expected some drama down in New Orleans, but Eric needed to have a light bulb moment. It was very important of him to do so. Plus, they did get a little more information. It will be coming a bit more slowly in this installment as other things get dealt with too.**

**As always, thanks for giving this little story a try. I appreciate those reading and taking the time to leave a comment or two.**

**I am hoping to remain on a weekend posting schedule but life is throwing me a few curveballs at the moment. I'm hoping to catch them all but one never knows. **


	12. I Think I Love You

_I don't know what I'm up against_

_I don't know what it's all about_

_I got so much to think about_

_Hey, I think I love you_

_So what am I so afraid of_

_I'm afraid that I'm not sure of_

_A love there is no cure for – The Partridge Family_

**Sookie POV**

It's been a month since we got back from New Orleans, a month since we learned that whatever the threat is, that whoever the threat is, it could be coming to the United States. It could already be here. We may not be positive about what this threat is after, but I am still okay and Sophie-Anne is warding off de Castro's marriage proposal pretty well. So there has been no progress that we can see.

De Castro hasn't been as pushy as Threadgill was with his proposal. That could be because Sophie-Anne is citing the mourning period as one of her rebukes. He's playing it off as being sympathetic of her in her time of need, offering his comfort and support but it's clear he's determined to get what it is he wants. Hopefully, we will get this all figured out before her year is up, long before her year is up.

Of course measuring progress when we aren't completely sure of the endgame is a bit difficult. And there was still a lot we didn't know. In fact, we still had more questions than answers, a fact that was beyond frustrating to us all, but to Eric especially. I know he feels like he can't protect us when he doesn't know what he is protecting us against. I also know that he's wrong. He has before. But more so, he doesn't have to worry about standing alone.

Sophie-Anne has had that human, who's name turned out to be Ryan, back to her compound twice, which means Eric and I have also been back down to New Orleans twice. The first time we went down again, it was still just Eric and I. The second time, Pam and Thalia were having none of that. They insisted on coming with us and though not entirely logical, neither one of us could deny them. So Area Five was left in control of Felicia and Tray for the evening. And it was in one piece when we returned, as were we all. Sometimes that's all we can ask for.

But we were asking for more. We were asking for information that would lead us to someone who wanted Louisiana, to someone who seemed to want me, someone who didn't seem to care who else was in the crosshairs. But we found next to nothing on the two visits to the Queen.

Ryan and his vampire had even come to Fangtasia one night. We were hoping that in a new situation, Ryan's thoughts might reveal some new information. But between the three extra visits we hadn't learned anything new and we managed to piss of a vampire. The vampire that kept escorting Ryan on these trips, Tobias, was none too pleased about making the trips. Add to it that he thought that he was going to lose his human and yeah, he was so not a fan.

And it was pretty much for nothing. We had learned that Ryan had never been out of the US, so it appears that the unknown vampire had been here at least once, about the time I was recovering from Bill's attack if I am correct. That's when Ryan's thoughts start to get cloudy, like the glamouring started at that time. We've been wracking our brains trying to figure out why then? What happened then that could have triggered this?

And we've been coming up empty.

The most we have been able to do is follow the money trails leading to Threadgill's accounts and what we can find of de Castro's. As Sophie-Anne has been turning down anything from him, we weren't privy to his bank information. Thankfully, Thalia has turned out to be quite the little hacker so we have been able to get some information. The problem is the information that we do have is leading us to multiple different accounts and we cannot find a way to link them. So either the guy really knows what he's doing or we have multiple threats.

Neither situation is good.

We are also looking through flight details trying to find out information but that's like finding a needle in a haystack. Even looking just at vampires who flew out in and out of the country during the time we think whoever glamoured Ryan was here isn't providing any useful information. Eric doesn't think any of the names we are finding are capable of such things. Of course, most likely a false name is being used, which will make it nearly impossible to track this guy based on flights. Add in that we are still trying to figure out who has been sending the look-a-like vampires, and we have a full plate. Though it would be more accurate to say we have a big plate to cover because our plate is almost empty. Sure, we may have a few crumbs but they are so small we can't even determine what the meal actually was.

But tonight, tonight we will be taking a break from all that, or trying to at least. I'm not exactly sure what my vampire has planned for the evening but I was told to block off my night for him. Not that I needed to be told that. Eric already had my evenings. I also haven't been going out too much after Jonathon came to Merlotte's. But Eric was still determined to not let me live the life of a hermit, and I love him even more for it. My brother and some friends had been over to one of his houses twice for dinner. He didn't want me to hide away and knew it would be bad for me so he is making sure that I still can see my friends.

When I woke up, there was a new dress hanging on the closet door with a note for Pam telling me to wear it tonight. I'm not sure if she knows what Eric has planned or if he just asked her to buy me something new. Knowing Pam though, she probably has an entire closet filled with clothes for me and is just replacing my wardrobe piece by piece.

The dress tells me that Eric may have something fancy planned for tonight, which I appreciate but often our best nights are the more low-key nights, the ones where we are simply alone and talk. And are usually interrupted by Pam, Thalia, or both of them. But unfortunately, in the last month we haven't gotten much time to do just that. Hopefully, tonight will be different.

I take a soak in the tub and start getting ready for whatever I will be doing tonight. I have a few hours before Eric is up for the night, but he did warn me we wouldn't be heading out until about an hour or so after he wakes up. He probably has some work or something he has to do before taking what is hopefully the rest of the evening.

I'm finishing up my hair when I feel a kiss to my head before I can even see Eric in the mirror. He groans when he sees me and says, "I have to go out for a bit so that we can have our evening, but seeing you is making me want to do anything but leave right now."

And though the idea of spending the evening wrapped up in Eric, both figuratively and literally sounds like a grand old plan, I really want to find out what he has planned for this evening. So instead of putting down my hair curler, pulling Eric towards me, and ripping off his clothes like a part of me wants to, I push him out of the bathroom and tell him to get moving so we can have our night. He leaves but not before his lips attack mine and I immediately am rethinking letting him out of the house at all tonight. And when he breaks away and I see the smirk on his face, I know that he knows it too.

"One hour," I tell him, my voice breathy.

"One hour," he repeats, before he leaves. Now I have to try and figure out what to do for an hour.

Apparently, that's not something I actually do have to try and figure out. Pam appears a few minutes after Eric has left. She manages to keep me busy for almost the entire hour. She had wanted to watch an episode of the vampire show she had gotten into. More vampires were now being introduced and I know Pam was having a hard time seeing the fractured relationship they had with the vampire who made them. She would never admit it, but I have seen tears in her eyes. I've also heard her mumbling, "Stupid souls."

When Eric comes back I again rethink the whole going out thing as soon as I see him. He looks delicious in his suit. It's dark blue, so dark that it's almost black. It makes his eyes look amazing. But he's having no part of my suggestion to stay in, even making Pam looked shock that he doesn't simply agree. Instead he thanks her for keeping me company before taking my hand and leading me out to the car, leaving me wondering where we are going and what he has planned for us.

But he's not giving me anything, instead just laughing at my questions, as my guesses on his plans for the evening get more and more outrageous. However, when I see that Eric is driving us toward Bon Temps, I have a pretty good idea of where he is taking me. When he pulls off the side of the road in the usual spot, I am sure of it. We haven't been to our little clearing in so long and I'm grateful that he's brought us here tonight. What had been a small sanctuary for me growing up, had become one for Eric now, had become one for us. It's a great spot for us and is just what we need tonight. As Eric takes me in his arms preparing to fly us the rest of the way, I snuggle into his chest and grab tight on his shirt, never wanting to let him go.

Then I only want to let him go long enough to see everything he has done for tonight before again taking him in my arms. It's suddenly clear why he needed the hour before we left. He wasn't doing business. He was making tonight magical.

Small lights are twinkling from the trees. I open my mouth to ask how he'd manage that with no electricity around but close it before I can ask the question. I would much rather believe in the magic of it all rather than him explain about battery packs or hydropower. Besides, with Octavia and Amelia around, magic is just as likely if not more so.

There's a blanket set up on the ground with a picnic basket sitting on top of it. I can't help the squeal that I let out when I take that in. I love the fact that he planned a picnic for us instead of simply taking me out for dinner. Though I would have appreciated that as well, this is a very touching gesture. Though Eric shows me in multiple ways each night that he cares and just how much he does, it's things like this that make me sit back and realize how truly lucky I am that this vampire, that this man picked me.

I turn back to him, feeling the tears start to build in my eyes. But before I can turn around completely, I am already in his arms.

**Eric POV**

I watch as she walks around the clearing, taking in everything that I had set up for us, for her. I see as she takes in the lights I had put in the trees. I see as she takes in the picnic set-up on the ground. I watch as she gently moves her fingers through the petals of the single rose I put in a vase on the blanket as well. I watch as she starts to turn back towards me but as the scent of her tears hits me, I have her in my arms before she can turn all the way.

"Happy tears," I ask her almost positive that they were but needing to make sure. She nods before standing on her tip toes and pressing her lips to mine. I want nothing more than to deepen the kiss, to once again pour all my emotion into it but my little human needs to eat before we can get to any of that.

I gently lower her down to the blanket as I take a small container out of my pocket and sprinkle it over the basket. "Amelia helped with a stasis spell," I explained. "It kept the food warm and safe from animals."

"Amelia, huh," Sookie asks with a smirk as she sits back and lets me unpack the basket. Sookie knows all too well that when the witches first came to help, I was not Amelia's biggest fan. I could not even pin point what it is about her that rubbed me the wrong way. Call it instinct or something but I did not feel she could be trusted. I don't think she would do anything to purposely hurt someone or put anyone in danger but I often feel that she does not grasp the true gravity of some of the situations we find ourselves in.

And there is lies the danger.

But I do want Pam to be happy and right now Amelia and Tray are doing that. I trust in what I taught Pam and I have to trust her safety to that. And Tray can usually keep Amelia in check, which is also a good thing.

Once the stasis spell is broken, the smell of the food enters our surroundings. Sookie moans at the smell and I can't help but do the same. There has not been many times in my vampire life that I wish I could again eat human food, but this is certainly one of them. And though the scent of the food is definitely playing a role with that, simply being able to share a meal with Sookie in that way is the driving force behind that thought.

I start to take the food out of the basket when I tell her that this was my plan for Valentine's Day. "I was hoping to just spend the night with you."

"I would have loved that. I love this," she says helping me open the food. "Chicken parm. Did you plan to have this that night too?" I nod. "That's why you tensed up when I ordered it the night we met Niall." Another nod. It had been a simple reminder of my plans and the fact that we could not complete them that night. She gives me a quick kiss on the cheek and says, "Thank-you. It's a favorite of mine."

"I know," I tell her as I start to put some on a plate for her. "Chicken seems to be a favorite of yours. You like it fried. You like drenched in this red sauce and smothered in cheese. You also like sweet tea and gin and tonic," I tell her taking both out of the basket so she could have an option of what she wants.

"You've paid attention," she says with a bit of a smile.

"It is not hard to pay attention to you. You have held my attention since I had first laid eyes on you. You have been what my thoughts seem to come back to. Even without any memories of you, you were what I wanted." I still do not know what it was that drew me to her that night without having any knowledge of her. I could blame the bond, but the one with Pam was stronger at that point so thinking of that, I should have gone to her. But Sookie's is different. It always had been. I can feel it in every part of me. It overpowers me. It calls to me. That could be what it was.

"You're what I want too," she tells me.

As Sookie start to eat we have the opportunity to finally talk. Do not get me wrong, we have spoke in the last few months but most of our conversations have centered on business or have been interrupted by business. I have missed times like this when it was simply just the two of us. Granted, we may have not had much time just the two of us lately, but the moments we have had, I have cherished. They are moments that I will cherish for the rest of my existence. I also plan to have many more to add to our list when things calm down.

They have to calm down at some point, right? Right?

I tell her about the time that Pam had an entire village chasing her. It has to do with the leader of the village catching Pam and his daughter. She told me about the time Jason had the entire police force chasing him while he was on his bike in high school. I make a note to never leave these two together unsupervised. I am not entirely sure the world could handle the both of them loose.

"You know, Jason keeps asking about Thalia," she tells me with a bit of a smirk as she takes a bit of chicken.

"Does he have a death wish," I ask with a grin of my own.

"I think it's cute."

"She will like having a stalker." She has amassed a bit of a fan club out of Fangtasia, which has shown us that though she may be willing to play nice with vampires, humans should still be kept far away, though something tells me we may not have to keep Jason quite as far. I get an elbow to my stomach for my words. "Do you need me to grunt and pretend that it hurt," I ask her.

"No but if you don't behave something a little lower will be hurting – from underuse."

"We cannot have that," I say taking the fork from her hand and feeding her the last few pieces of chicken.

"That's better," she tells me wiping her mouth with a napkin when she I done. "Thank you so much for tonight Eric. I love it. I love you."

I take her into my arms and position her into my lap as I lean against a tree. I press a kiss to the back of her neck and tell her, "It still surprises me every time you say that. I cannot put what I feel when I hear it into words."

"Try," she asks. "For me," she adds leaning back against my check. And of course I will. I cannot deny her anything.

"I feel warm," I start off by telling her. "It starts in my chest and spreads its way all throughout my body. I fell light, like I am flying without actually ever leaving the ground. I feel happy, happier than I can ever remember feeling. I feel almost invincible knowing that you love me, believing that you love me."

"That's how I feel when you do things like you did tonight for me. That's how I felt when I saw that you repaired my house, my Gran's house, and repaved my driveway. Every time you smile at me, when you look at me that's what I feel Eric. That's how you make me feel. You make me feel special." As she spoke, her fingers started moving through mine. When she is done, she does not try to feel the silence with more words. She does not try to make me say anything in response. Instead she lets me take in her words, lets me roll them around in my head, knowing that is what I need.

Sitting there, with Sookie sitting in my lap my arms around her waist, it suddenly all seems clear to me. What I have been denying since I have been a vampire, no what Appius has denied me since he turned me into a vampire, is suddenly so obvious, so apparent to me. I am not sure why it has taken me a thousand years to realize. But then I look down at Sookie and I do understand why. It has taken a thousand years for fate to send me someone who would be willing to help me learn, who would have the patience to let me figure it out on my own.

Her words from tonight roll around in my head as they are joined from her words from the past. I feel like I have gotten those last few puzzles pieces and now am staring at the whole picture. Parts of me want to shout it from the rooftops so that everyone knows how I am feeling while the other part wants to keep it to myself, to ourselves, to savor it and to never let anyone or anything tarnish it.

I can feel myself relax, tension that I did not know existed leaving my body. Sookie must feel it to because she adjusts herself on my lap so she is sitting sideways. She looks up into my eyes and takes one hand and cups my face with it. The feeling that fills me seeing her smile only tells me that my thoughts are true.

And I cannot wait until Sookie knows what they are.

**Hello dear readers. Thanks for reading and I do hope you've enjoyed this chapter as Eric puts everything together. Now, just what will he be doing with it – that's the question. But it's a good thing he realized it because things are going to start to pick up a bit. Enjoy the quiet time now.**


	13. 13 1, 2, 3, 4

_Give me more loving from the very start_

_Piece me back together when I fall apart_

_Tell me things you never even tell your closest friends_

_Make it feel good when it hurts so bad_

_The best that I've had_

_And I'm so glad I found you_

_I love being around you_

_You make it easy_

_It's as easy as 1-2-1-2-3-4_

_There's only ONE thing (one)_

_TWO do (two) THREE words (three)_

_FOUR you... (four)_

_(I love you) I love you_

_There's only ONE way (one)_

_TWO say (two) Those THREE words (three)_

_And that's what I'll do... (four)_

_(I love you) I love you – Plain White T's_

**Pam POV**

I am happy. I cannot remember being this happy for a long time, probably since my human life was shed and I awoke a vampire in Eric's arms. There are many reasons for this current feeling moving through my body. I'm happy that we all get a low-key evening. I am happy that we are spending it with those we care about. But most of all I am happy about the feelings that I am getting from my maker.

They are feelings that I have been waiting to feel for centuries, ever since I realized how he felt, what he thought. Granted I've felt Eric's love for me ever since that first night so feeling that was nothing new. But feeling him realize that emotion is love well, that's priceless.

And I don't say that about many things.

Even Amelia and Tray, my company for the evening, could see that something, well something besides them, was making me happy. It only added to our evening fun. Granted, my evening turned out to be a bit shorter than Eric's as my company has returned to their homes for the evening, but I can give him that. Hell, he deserves that and more.

And I'm just happy that he is starting to realize that he deserves it. Eric has always been confident in his abilities in battle, leadership, and more. What he has lacked over the years is simply confidence in himself. And I know exactly where to place the blame for that. I'm just so excited that Eric is finally understanding it too.

See? Happy!

I am currently at my house, Tray and Amelia having come to me tonight. At first, the plan was to meet Eric and Sookie back at Eric's but I think feeling what I do from him I will be staying at my place tonight. They deserve the time and this should a big night for them.

Provided my maker doesn't mess it all up by not telling her, of course.

Though I know Sookie is already fully aware of how my maker feels for her, I also know hearing the words is something that she needs. She can go on and on about how words are meaningless and actions are more important, and she's right. That's how we know that Eric does indeed care. But as much as she says and believes she doesn't, she needs to hear those words come out of Eric's mouth.

I know I do.

Not to reaffirm his feelings for us. That's not it at all. As a matter of fact, some humans throw those words around so easily they are meaningless to some. But they are not meaningless to me. They are not meaningless to Sookie. Coming from Eric, those words will be filled with meaning, and not simply the meaning of love. It will show that he finally understands what I have been trying to get him to see, what Sookie has been trying to get him to see. It means that he will finally understand that he got the very short end of the stick when it comes to makers but he managed to overcome that and become a great one himself.

But more importantly, it will mean the damage done to him by Appius was not permanent.

Though I know Eric to be strong enough to overcome anything, I was worried that the centuries of physical, mental, and emotional abuse was too much. I was worried that he would never see his true worth, never believe that he is worthy in anyone's eyes. I can admit to being afraid of this.

Until Sookie walked into the bar that night.

She intrigued Eric from the first time he saw her. It's true at first it was simply because of her looks and her scent. Then her telepathy added to his intrigue. But something shifted in him at some point. I'm not sure when. I'm not even sure Eric knows when. But I saw him when Sookie was still in the trunk of that fucking car before she let me pull her out. I saw him as she went through every little set back she had soon afterwards. I saw him as she celebrated every little step forward she took. I am not sure when exactly Sookie got into Eric's heart, but she was deep in it by the time she went to Mississippi and Eric followed shortly after.

Hell, I'm not even sure when she wormed her way into my heart at this point, but I know that she's there.

**Sookie POV**

I am not disappointed.

I'm trying not to be disappointed.

I'm trying really hard not to be disappointed and enjoy the rest of the fabulous evening Eric has planned for us.

It's not that I'm feeling disappointed for me. I'm not. If it was just for me, I could deal with it. But feeling disappointment for Eric well, that's something I'm not sure I will ever be able to handle. I really thought that something had clicked for him as he looked down at me. I really thought he had that light bulb moment where he realized everything that I have been telling him over the last few months, that everything Pam had been telling him for centuries was in fact true.

I felt it in him, or at least I thought I did. And I was positive that when he was looking down at me, when his eyes were staring into mine that he was going to say the words. Those three small, yet big in meaning, simple yet complicated words that I wanted so much to hear. But it wasn't even for me that I wanted to hear them for most of all. It's true that hearing those words come from his mouth probably would send my insides somersaulting with joy, and maybe I would be somersaulting in general, but it was more for him that I wanted to hear those words for. Not only will those words express his feelings for me but they will also mean more than that for Eric. For him they would mean that he overcame a thousand years of abuse, because I don't care that he hasn't seen his maker in centuries. The mental and emotional abuse has continued in him all these years, just like Appius wanted it I would assume.

So it's not me that I'm disappointed for. I can live without the simple words. Eric shows me everyday just how much he loves me. He shows me with everything he does for me. With every smile he gifts me with. With everything he does to make me laugh. With every gentle caress and with some of the less gentle ones. He shows me so much that he loves me, the words would simply be an unnecessary bonus, for me at least.

For Eric though, they would be so much more important. For him, the words would be proof that his maker did wrong by him. They would be the assurance he has been looking for all these years that Appius' lessons were wrong. I know he has started to see that. I know he is starting to understand just how much he was abused at the hands of his maker and not taught. But I also know that credits Appius for still being finally dead, for teaching him how to survive in his new world. It's hard to separate the two thought processes.

But he is strong enough to do it. I know that he is.

I really expected him to say the words, though. I had seen something in his eyes and seen the emotion cross his face. I felt a tension leave his body. He understood. He finally saw that he was capable of love. I saw it and I swear I felt it in my bones.

But I must have been mistaken because he did not say the words.

And I wasn't disappointed.

How could I be when Eric set up such a romantic evening? How could I be when we finally got time to just sit and talk and enjoy each other? As Eric gently lowers me to the ground, any doubt that I have starts to leave. As I can feel him start to kiss down my neck, it's almost gone completely. As I roll my hips up to meet his, he looks down and says, "Patience, Lover. Tonight, this is all for you." And then any disappointment I felt earlier leaves me completely.

He has only called me that twice before. The first was with no memories, no knowledge that he believed he wasn't capable of love. The second was when he was trying to get my attention, trying to explain that his memories, all his memories, had come back with one simple word. But he hasn't called me that since and I know exactly why – he has been waiting until he can say it with the meaning behind it. He has been waiting until he knows that not only is he capable of love, but that he loves me. With that one word, I know my earlier thoughts were true.

And how can I be disappointed with that.

As I lay there with him, limbs all tangled, our fingers dancing together I couldn't be happier. Eric and I needed tonight. We needed a night to simply bask in each other's presence and to simply be with each other, not simply being in the same place as each other as we go over bank statements to try and figure out who may be trying to kill us. Tonight was exactly what was needed.

Nothing about this night has been disappointing and that's what I am choosing to focus on. Those words, and all they mean, will come. I am certain of that.

**Eric POV**

I do not say the words. Even though I finally understand what my feelings are and what they mean, I do not say the words to Sookie in our little spot. Why I do not is difficult to explain. I know she would believe the words anytime I say them. Coming from me, she would know they were the truth whenever she heard them. She knows I do not lie to her. I would never, especially about that. But it was something about the magic of the evening, almost making it too perfect. I want there to be no doubts in her mind when I tell her. I want her to understand my feelings for her will not change. It does not matter if she in a dress that cost hundreds of thousands of dollars or in that ratty shirt she likes to wear to bed – when she's wearing anything.

I did not want her to doubt the magic of the evening played into my realization in any way. So I begin to show her in other ways what feelings I have finally figured out. I show her with soft, whispering touches along her body. I hope she understands with every lingering kiss, every lick I give her body. With every gentle whisper I say into her ear. With every caress my fingers give her, carefully avoiding the one area she would like them to the most. And when I finally give into her pleas, I make sure to be looking right into her eyes and I know she understands. As I move, making sure to get the friction right for her, she whispers into the night, "I love you too, Eric," and I know she understands.

As I am driving back, I cannot help but to glance over at Sookie what feels like every other second. She is sitting in the passenger seat bouncing up and down, singing loudly to a song on the radio, though singing may be a generous assessment on what she is doing. I feel the smile on my face as I am just taking in what she is doing. And I find myself not being able to hold it in any longer. I focus on the road for a second as I pull the car over to the side. With all her bouncing she does not even realize it until I am over at her side of the car with the door opened and kneeling down so I am eye to eye with her. She looks at me surprised before offering me a smile. "My singing that bad that you couldn't take it anymore, huh?"

"I would listen to your singing every second of every night because it would mean that I would be spending every second of every night with you. That is what I want. You have brought life back into my existence. Better still, you showed me how to be the one to bring excitement back into my life. You believed in me, long after I stopped believing in myself. And I cannot thank you enough for doing so."

I take her hands in mine and watch as water starts to fill her eyes. Looking at her, I find one more thing to blame my maker for. I should have known what this feeling I have had was, because this feeling is nothing new. I have felt it for Pam and Karin. I have felt it for Sookie. It is only the meaning of it that is new. Now I just have to tell her. Though I am starting to rethink my decision to not tell her earlier.

"I love you Sookie. I love how strong you are. I love how you are willing to fight for those you love. I love that you talk and mutter in your sleep. I love how you play with my hair when you are nervous or I am nervous or just because you want to. I love that you are willing to be with me so that I can find new things to love about you every night. I can think of nothing better to do with my time."

And bring on those happy tears again. She may say that they are happy tears so I may like why she is having them, but I still do not like her crying for any reason. I do not have a second to try and get her to stop however, as she flings herself into my arms and I find myself on my back with Sookie crying happy tears on top of me. She can barely get out the words through her tears but I can make out her say, "I love you, Eric," having heard it quite a few times before. And I have believed them before. But now having an understanding of the emotion they mean more, so much more and I will relish every time she gifts them to me.

As we lay there on the side of the road beside my car, she rests her head on my chest and I start to stroke down her back. She brings up her hand and strokes my chest as she repeats, "I love you Eric and I am so proud of you. So fucking proud that you got here. It's a great place to be."

"And I am so grateful that you have helped me get here," I tell her. "It is yet another thing that I love about you. You had patience with me. You did not push me into trying to understand this before I was ready. You did not leave, fed up with me because it took me a bit longer to realize. You let me find it out for myself. More than that though, you knew it was what I needed." Every word I said is true. It was her letting me to come to the conclusion on my own that allowed me to learn this very important lesson.

"I am sorry though," I tell her causing her to look up at me.

"Why do you have anything to apologize for?"

"I am sorry this happened on the side of the road. It could have happened in our clearing. That would have been perfect. But I thought too much about it and did not want it to be too cliché," I tell her thinking about how pathetic that sounds.

"Well if your goal was to make it not seem too perfect, you failed," she tells me. "I don't care that it was on the side of some road. It could have been in the middle of a fight. It could have been while I was in the bathroom seeing to my human needs. It could have been in front of Jason as he burped the damn alphabet. In any of those situations it still would have been perfect because you believe it. You know it's true. That's what makes it perfect for me, Eric. All I needed was you to believe it."

She pauses before continuing. "Besides you did tell me in the clearing. You have told time and time again with everything you do for me. Each simple act has told me how you feel. I've just been waiting for you to catch up. And I am so glad you did because I get to hear you say the words too."

I finally understand that too. "I love you Sookie," I tell her again.

"I love you too Eric," she tells me, and this time it is with perfect articulation.

"Do you want to get off the side of the road," I ask her.

"I just want to be with you whether it's on the side of the road or a five star restaurant."

"How about a warm bed underneath all the covers," I ask her starting to feel her shiver against me.

"Hmm," she says pretending to think about it. "Could we be naked under these covers?"

"I think that may be a guarantee," I tell her before picking her up and setting her back in the car. I buckle her seat belt and kiss her forehead before saying those three little words again before getting into the car myself and taking us home.

When I wake up from my day rest I find Sookie lying next to me still asleep. I am not sure if she has slept the whole time or if she had been awake but come back to take a nap before the night starts. We have to go into Fangtasia tonight. We have been spending more time there with Sookie out in the open, which is not something that I like. The hope is that if Jonathon approaches her again, it would be at Fangtasia where we can have more control of the situation. Of course the hope really is that we have seen the last of Jonathon. But with Felipe still trying to court Sophie-Anne, it seems likely that we will be running into him again.

I turn on my side so my eyes will be the first things she sees when she wakes up. I also want to ensure that my voice is the first that she will hear. Now that I can say the words and know them to be true, I want her to be able to hear them often and never have a reason to doubt them. So when she blinks open her eyes and smiles at me I lean over to place a little kiss on her nose before softly whispering, "I love you Sookie Stackhouse."

**Sookie POV **

I have waited a long time for him to come to this realization. I have long imagined what it would be like when he finally did, but I find myself being wrong. It is better than what I imagined - so much better.

I had said I didn't need the words but now that I have them I never want to stop hearing them. I never want a night to go by where I don't hear them. Where I don't hear the complete change in Eric's voice as he says those words to me. When I don't see the little half smile he makes when he says it – one that is completely different from his usual smirk. I don't want to go a night without see his face completely relaxed, as it is when he says it. Now that I have the words, I find myself being greedy with them.

"I love you too, Eric Northman," I tell him before pressing a kiss to the upturned side of his lip. He immediately tries to deepen it but I pull away and say, "Nope. We have to get ready to leave." I laugh when I see the look on his face. "I'd rather have a few hours to take my time with you at the end of the evening, than a few minutes now," I tell him.

As he begins to kiss down my chest, I can tell I haven't managed to dissuade him, not that I was trying too hard to anyway. "Who said anything about needing to choose," he asks as he makes it to my shorts. They're not in his way for too long as he resumes his kisses. "What about taking a few minutes now and still taking hours to worship your body later?"

It sounded like a fantastic plan.

After what turned out to be a bit longer than a few minutes, we are showered and in the car on the way to pick up Pam and Thalia. Eric has been changing the radio stations to songs he knows that I love. My guess is to try and get me to sing like I was last night. Though I don't know why he wants to subject himself to that, I can't help but sing when he stops on certain songs. And his smile every time I do tells me that is exactly his plan.

The smile doesn't leave his face as we pull up to Pam's house and make our way to the front door. He seems excited and I have a pretty good reason why that is. We don't stop to knock, instead Eric simply opens the door and we head inside. As soon as he sees Pam he makes his way over to her, putting his hand on her shoulder.

"I love you Pam," he says and she immediately collapses against him and I can see her shoulders shake as she reacts to his words. She fully understands what the words mean and she has been waiting longer for them than me. The two whisper some words to each other as Thalia comes over and wipes a tear off my cheek before putting her arm around my shoulder.

Eric and Pam separate and Eric comes over to Thalia and I. He looks at Thalia and a moment of understanding passes between them. "Me too," Thalia says softly before the two of them share a quick hug.

Pam's phone rings and breaks the silence. She apologizes before leaving the room to take the call. The three of us don't pay much attention as we start to go over the plan if Jonathon, or any other of Felipe's henchmen, show up. I figured it would be Amelia or even Tray calling her. But by the look on her face when she comes back into the room, we should have paid more attention.

Eric is at her side as soon as she's back in the living room but it's me who asks, "What's wrong?"

"That was Karin," Pam says before looking at Eric and immediately Eric's body shifts, filling back up with a tension that left it last night.

"Is she," he asks before stopping, not able to complete his thought.

"She's fine," Pam says quickly, letting Eric know she doesn't seem to be in any immediate danger. But Eric isn't exactly happy with hearing that. Either am I for that matter.

"She's fine," Pam repeats and I'm not sure if it's more to reassure Eric or her self.

"But," I say when she doesn't look like she is going to continue right away and I see that Eric is looking like he's going to punch something.

"But," Pam finally continues. "She wanted to let us know that she got a phone call tonight."

Judging from the looks at on the faces of Eric and Thalia, we all have the same idea on just who Karin's phone call came from tonight. And with everything else going on at the moment, it's the last thing we currently need.

**Hello there dear readers. I hope you have enjoyed this chapter. We have been waiting quite a long time for it after all so I do hope you liked it. Thanks for giving it a read. Now I have to prepare myself for The Walking Dead premier. **

**JFozz – Appius is still alive in this story. I am glad you're enjoying my little story.**


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